Tagged: Barry Reese

Reviews from the 86th Floor: Barry Reese looks at Fortune’s Pawn

  • News
  • September 7, 2011

FORTUNE’S PAWN
Written by Nancy A. Hansen
Pro Se Press
ISBN 9781466243460
179 pages, $12.00

Okay, let’s establish something right away: I don’t generally read fantasy. I did when I was younger, really digging Dragonlance and the like… but nowadays, the only time I read fantasy is when I dig open a Robert E. Howard collection for old-times sake. So I’m not really the target audience for this one. But I’ve read some short stories by Nancy in the past and enjoyed them so I figured I’d dive into her first novel and see how it went.

First impressions: the cover is intriguing but I really, really would not have obscured the title. This is okay if it’s Spider-Man or something: we all know what the title is anyway so breaking it or obscuring it can be a bold design move. But when it’s an unfamiliar title (especially one that’s rendered in a confusing font), I think it’s not bold… I think it’s not wise. I showed the book to three different people and not one of them could figure out what the title was from the front or spine — the font chosen was way too busy. It looks like the book is called Forgude’s Pawd.

Okay, once I got past the cover design issues, I jumped into the story and found that it was told in a very readable style. For some reason the opening with the weremon seemed awkward to me but I think it just took a few pages to get into Nancy’s world. Once things shifted to the ill-fated family, things picked up and from there it all went smoothly.

The basic premise is classic and familiar: a prophecy warns that a red-haired child will rise up to overthrow the bad guys so the villains are out killing everyone with red hair. One infant survives such an attack and grows up to become our protagonist. Callie is an enjoyable character and her motivations and emotions are well depicted.

I found the parts of the story featuring conversations between characters or internal monologues to be the best part of the tale. The action scenes were clearly depicted but lacked the kind of edge that I usually like in my fantasy (think Robert E. Howard’s ability to depict sweaty violence). I was impressed by Nancy’s willingness to get her literary hands dirty, though — no one is safe in this book, including little kids. Everybody has an equal opportunity to get eviscerated.

This is obviously the first chapter in a larger story and I’m curious about where it goes from here. If I were a diehard fantasy fan, I think this would be something that would definitely go onto my shelf of favorites. As it is, I would still recommend it to anyone looking to dip their toes into the fantasy genre or who are looking for a character-driven adventure of any type.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Table Talk – Kill ‘Em All!

  • Uncategorized
  • August 31, 2011
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New Pulp Authors Mike Bullock, Barry Reese, and Bobby Nash are back for another installment of NewPulpFiction’s Table Talk. This week, the guys discuss attachments to their characters as well as the writing process itself

Table Talk: At What Price? with Mike Bullock, Barry Reese, and Bobby Nash is now available at http://www.newpulpfiction.com/

Table Talk: Who Are You?

  • Uncategorized
  • August 24, 2011

Table Talk returns to New Pulp. This week, Bobby, Barry and Mike dig into the hats they wear and what it’s like to switch them around, based on the needs of the moment.
You can read the Table Talk conversation at http://www.newpulpfiction.com/2011/08/table-talk-who-are-you.html

Table Talk: Creative Envy

  • Uncategorized
  • August 18, 2011

Table Talk returns to http://www.newpulpfiction.com/. This week Bobby, Barry, and Mike discuss creative envy.

Someone coined the term “creative envy” a while back in response to seeing the intellectual property of another and wishing they’d come up with it first. Most, if not all creators have a particular character or property they wish they’d thought up first. This week Barry Reese, Bobby Nash and Mike Bullock discuss creative envy and take a look at their own properties they wish they had time to fully realize.
 
 

PRO SE AND BROKENSEA TAKE NEW PULP TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

  • News
  • August 11, 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Pro Se Productions, an up and coming leader in the New Pulp Movement and publisher of New Pulp Magazines, books, and collections, announces today a partnership with Broken Sea Audio Productions, a leading name in New Pulp Audio.   Both companies have brought their impressive talents and abilities together to produce the first ever Pro Se Press Audio Magazines!

Pro Se broke onto the New Pulp scene in 2010 with a line of New Pulp Magazines.  These titles, FANTASY AND FEAR, PECULIAR ADVENTURES, and MASKED GUN MYSTERY, featured a variety of stories, both from professional as well as brand new authors and ran the gamut from horror to hero to mystery to fantasy and beyond.  Although these titles have now been combined in print into the singular title PRO SE PRESENTS, Pro Se plans to continue the three titles in an audio magazine format, thanks in large part to the wonderful people at Broken Sea Audio Productions.

“There’s something,” says Tommy Hancock, Partner and EIC of Pro Se Productions, “about these fantastic New Pulp short stories that just screams to be expressed beyond print.   When you’re reading words written by Ron Fortier, James Palmer, and Van Plexico or in the middle of a Sovereign City scene penned by Barry Reese or Derrick Ferguson or even marveling to the new talents of people like Nancy Hansen, Ken Janssens, Lee Houston, Jr., Megan Smith and more, you can hear the voices in your head.   Likewise, the extremely talented crew at Broken Sea Audio Productions, led by Paul Mannering, have this fantastic art of bringing to life stories, some with characters we all know and others with brand new New Pulp creations.  The actors and readers at BrokenSea breathe voice into pen and ink and make it leap off the page and into a whole new level of imagination.   Because of this, the partnership of these two fantastic groups as well as the merging of the work they do is a great next step in the evolution of New Pulp.”



Hancock also says that plans for both future Audio Mags as well as Audio Books of Pro Se’s line of novels and collections are definitely in process and will be announced in the near future.

The first three issues of each Audio Magazine are now available for sale at www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com as downloads.   “Although consideration was given to producing CD versions of these fantastic works,” Hancock states, “and we will have special CD versions available for public appearances and conventions in 2012 and beyond, we felt that with the advent of MP3 Players and other technology more attuned to playing a file instead of a CD, that this was the best and most efficient way to deliver this great new product.”   Once purchased, Pro Se will send the buyer a link to download the issue(s) the customer has bought within twenty four hours of purchase.

Priced at $7.50 per issue, each magazine is over 4 to 6 hours of New Pulp Audiobook entertainment.  Each magazine is read by a single reader, but the readers provide various voices and show a tremendous control of emotion and tone in each story, adding to the power and pleasure of listening to each tale.  This combined with the wonderful work of Broken Sea Producer Chris Barnes makes Pro Se’s line of New Pulp Audio Mags a definite must have for any fan of Action/Adventure/Heroic/Genre Fiction.



Pro Se Audio Mag titles produced in conjunction with Broken Sea Audio Productions currently available at www.pulpmachine.blogspot are as follows-


FANTASTY AND FEAR #1

Produced by Chris Barnes


Read by Fiona Thraille


Music composed, arranged and performed by Kevin Mcleod



Stories Include-

TALES OF MYTHAS: MURDER IN THE GHETTO OF TRENTONIUM By Don Thomas


THE SONG OF HEROES: LORI’S LAMENT By Nancy A. Hansen


THE MAN OF MY DREAMS By C. William Russette


THE WAY OF THE WORLD By Lee Houston, Junior


BEAST OF THE MOUNTAINS By Ron Fortier


THE TUNNELS OF LAO FANG By James Palmer


THE BROTHERS JADE: BOOK ONE by the Brothers Thomas








MASKED GUN MYSTERY #1

Produced by Chris Barnes


Read by H. Keith Lyons


Music composed, arranged and performed by Kevin Mcleod



Stories Include-


THE THINGS HE LEAVES BEHIND By Aric Mitchell


ALOHA MCCOY: HELLO NEW LIFE, HELLO OLD By Ken Janssens


THE DAY HE FOUND THE CLOWN By Aaron Smith


HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: DINEENA’S DILEMMA By Lee Houston, Junior


MURPHY’S WAKE By Tommy Hancock


DEMON NIGHT By C. William Russette


RUN By Andrew Salmon


(NOTE- A story originally appearing in the print issue of MGM 1, CRIME OF THE ARTS PART ONE: PROBING THE CITY By Robert E. Kennedy, does not appear in this Audio Mag because this story will be recorded in a future Audio Book as one complete story, not four parts)


PECULIAR ADVENTURES #1

Produced by Chris Barnes


Read by Peter Katt


Music composed, arranged and performed by Kevin Mcleod



Stories Include-

Y-239 By Lee Houston, Junior


IN THE HOUSE OF MERCURY By Tommy Hancock


THE CEREBUS CLAN: CHANGING OF THE GUARD By Ken Janssens


THE SECRET WHISPERS OF EACH OTHER’S WATCH by Derrick Ferguson


PERRY LELL, GIRL OF A THOUSAND EARTHS IN DANCING OUT OF TIME By Megan Smith


ONE GOOD EYE By Tommy Hancock


GODSLAYERS By Van Plexico


THE MESSIAH OF MURDER By Tommy Hancock


THREE CARDS WILD By Tommy Hancock



Follow Pro Se at www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com and check out BrokenSea Audio at

http://brokensea.com/

Table Talk Returns… But At What Price?

  • Uncategorized
  • August 10, 2011

Mike Bullock, Barry Reese, and Bobby Nash are back for another installment of NewPulpFiction’s Table Talk. This week, the guys discuss the rising cost of books and what it means to readers, writers, and publishers.

Table Talk: At What Price? with Mike Bullock, Barry Reese, and Bobby Nash is now available at http://www.newpulpfiction.com/.

Table Talk – Go behind the table with Mike Bullock, Barry Reese, and Bobby Nash

  • Uncategorized
  • August 5, 2011

Table Talk – Go behind the table with Mike Bullock, Barry Reese, and Bobby Nash at http://www.newpulpfiction.com/.

From Mike Bullock’s opening comments:

When you get two or more creators sitting behind a table at a signing or convention, when no one is around, they inevitably start talking shop. I’ve now done more signings and conventions than I can remember at once but the one thing they all have in common is an opportunity to gab with other creators. Despite what anyone might think, this is the thing I love most about the events. Whether it’s comparing a common love of some old character or examining the ins and outs of the latest news or talking about our creative processes, it’s always an enjoyable conversation.

When I mentioned this one time to a non-creative friend, he replied “I bet a lot of people would love to hear those conversations.”

In response to that, we dreamed up Table Talk, a semi-regular column where you can read conversations between New Pulp creators discussing things we love. Since just about every conversation starts out with a compelling question or statement, that’s the format we’ll follow here.

I asked fellow writers Barry Reese and Bobby Nash to join me in this, as I feel a solid connection to these two guys, and can only imagine if the three of us spent a weekend sharing a booth at a convention, we’d have some sterling back-and-forths about everything from old pulps to action figures to Silver Age comics and New Pulp.

To start the inaugural column off, Barry Reese suggested someone throw out a question to get the ball rolling. Bobby and I quickly nominated Barry to come up with said question.
 
You can read the conversational back and forth at www.newpulpfiction.com/2011/08/table-talk-behind-table.html

Check back each week for a new installment.

PRO SE PRESS RETURNS TO MAGAZINES WITH PRO SE PRESENTS#1!

  • News
  • August 2, 2011

Breaking into the New Pulp field a year ago, Pro Se Productions. initially a two man small press publisher, first made its mark with a line of New Pulp magazines.   Due to various reasons, Pro Se made the decision in March, 2011 to end its three magazines and to focus exclusively on books and anthologies/collections.  Even though that choice has been significantly positive for Pro Se, New Pulp fans have asked almost since the day the last issue was published when the next Pro Se magazine would hit the streets.  Tommy Hancock, partner and Editor in Chief at Pro Se, revealed that that day would be extremely soon.

“Yes, we’ve listened,” Hancock stated, “We’ve had requests and questions about our magazines almost literally since we decided to go a different direction.  People want to see their favorite characters continue, to read writers that they love do new sorts of things, and to hold that monthly issue to see what’s coming next from Pro Se.  Well, they’re going to get that, slightly different than we’ve done it in the past, but Pro Se is definitely back in the monthly magazine business.”

Outlining the new magazine line, now pared down to a single title, Hancock said, “Although we love the three titles we had before, it’s just more efficient for us at this point to have a single title.   PRO SE PRESENTS will be our single title, but our editorial staff will still follow the old three title model.  Lee Houston Jr. will edit stories that fall into the ‘Fantasy and Fear’ line while Frank Schildiner acts as editor on stories fitting the ‘Masked Gun Mystery’ label and Nancy Hansen rides lead as editor on “Peculiar Adventures’ type tales.  Barry Reese will continue his fine work as Submissions Editor.  Each magazine, when possible, will highlight a story of each type.  There will also be issues that focus specifically on one of the three divisions.”

“Another change is the format.   Our magazines will be fewer pages, around 70-80 monthly, and will be a smaller digest size.   This has to do with the price point as well as ease of reading and visual attractiveness.  PRO SE PRESENTS will be $6.00 for print issues.  E-issues will also be available at $1.99 each.   This change makes it possible for Pro Se to return to publishing magazines and will give readers a three-four story one-two punch of New Pulp action, adventure, and horror every single month.”

PRO SE PRESENTS #1 features three stories in its debut issue.  Sean Taylor presents a tale of the line between inspiration and horror in ‘Art Imitates Death.’  Don Thomas pens a tale of heroic fantasy with ‘Andar and the Farmer.’  And Ken Janssen’s Sherringford Bell returns to investigate ‘The Scandal of the Bohemian.”  Peter Cooper and Sean E. Ali provide art for this debut issue, Ali also responsible for design and format.

Coming in August, PRO SE PRESENTS #1 from Pro Se Press.   Pulp Magazines.  Monthly.  Just the way it should be.

NEW PODCAST FOCUSED ON NEW PULP DEBUTS-Go Get PULPED!

  • News
  • June 21, 2011
Press Release-
Four New Pulp creators and proclaimed members of what some are calling The New Pulp Movement, announced today that they have united to present the world with the first official New Pulp Podcast!  PULPED!, a podcast focused on the works and trends that comprise and contribute to works created after the heyday of the Pulps that have the sensibilities of classic Pulp works and yet are new tales, debuted with its first episode on June 20th.
Tommy Hancock, Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, and Ron Fortier, all noted pulp authors and personalities within New Pulp, make up the core circle behind PULPED!  Functioning as a rotating circle of hosts, the PULPED! Four will spotlight different creators and New Pulp works each week as well as discussing trends in the sub genre.  There will be a News section of the podcast, but it will be slightly different than traditional newscasts.  Each co-host will bring a topic of New Pulp news to the table and then the assembled hosts will discuss and/or debate it.  Also, PULPED! will be the home of reviews done by THE PULPTRESS, the spokesperson for New Pulp!  Each week, she will deliver a review of current New Pulp books, audio, movies, tv, and other things that qualify as New Pulp.
“New Pulp,” said Tommy Hancock, “is a vibrant, relevant part of the fiction Pulp fans love and enjoy.  Edgy at times, traditional at others, New Pulp shows that the fantastic heroic adventure fiction enjoyed by so many in the early 20th Century is not only still alive and well, but is on the verge of being an important part of literature of the 21st Century.  PULPED!’s focus will not simply be on books, but on all aspects of how New Pulp permeates our society. It will also focus on everyone from major players in publishing and other fields right down to the small press publishers and independent creators that truly are the lifeblood of this movement.”
PULPED! will post a new episode every Monday at http://www.pulped.libsyn.com/ and will be available in the coming weeks via ITunes and other providers.
“Anyone who is a writer, artist, publisher,” Hancock stated, “that wants to be a guest on PULPED!, all they need to do is to send an email to braedenalex@centurytel.net or contact any of the four hosts.”
The first episode is now available at http://www.pulped.libsyn.com/ and its description is as follows-
PULPED! The Official New Pulp Podcast-Episode 1-PULPED! For The First Time!

PULPED! is a Podcast dedicated to the creators and fans of New Pulp!  New Pulp, heroic fiction by modern artists written with the sensibility and in the tradition of the Pulp genre!  Pulp creators Barry Reese, Derrick Ferguson, Ron Fortier, and Tommy Hancock kick off this podcast dedicated to the promotion of The New Pulp Movement by explaining what the podcast is about, defining and discussing New Pulp, and letting know listeners what they’re in store for. 

Then Tommy and Barry take off their hosts hats and climb in the guest spotlight to discuss Barry’s latest book, THE ROOK-VOLUME SIX, published by Hancock through the company he’s a partner in, Pro Se Productions.  The origins of the Rook, Reese’s inspirations, and the logic behind Pro Se acquiring the Rook as well as future plans for the well known character are discussed in length.  Following that, our intrepid co-hosts take on the PULPED! News.  Each week, the co-hosts will bring one topic of New Pulp news to the table and they will discuss, analyze, explore, and debate it!  If you like your fiction heroic, if you seek adventure and action in every word you read, then come on in, take a seat, and get PULPED!

PULPED! will post each Monday!

Check out PULPED! and the New Pulp Movement at www.newpulpfiction.com and at the New Pulp forum hosted by Comic Related at
http://www.comicrelated.com/forums/ under NEW PULP!  Also, like New Pulp on Facebook!

PRO SE PROUDLY PRESENTS REESE’S ‘THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX!’

THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX FLIES HIGH FROM ITS NEW HOME-PRO SE PRESS!
Press Release
Pro Se Productions
Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief
06/09/2011
Pro Se Press, a leader in New Pulp fiction, is extremely proud to announce the first of many releases penned by Veteran Pulp Author Barry Reese and starring Reese’s best known creation, THE ROOK!  THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX by Reese is now available from Pro Se Press!
Already established as one of the best known heroes of The New Pulp Movement, The Rook takes on his greatest adventures in VOLUME SIX.  Reese ups the ante significantly for Max Davies, millionaire and vision driven vigilante, by setting The Rook against Sun Koh, Prince of Atlantis in the lead story, THE SCORCHED GOD!  A character from German pulps of the 1930s, Sun Koh is essentially the Germanic Doc Savage and comes up against The Rook in order to take his supposed rightful place as ruler of the world.  Assisted by a variety of interesting villains, most notably The Furies, three women, each one representing an Axis nation.  What chance does any mere mortal man have against a near Godlike being and his bevy of deadly beauties?  Fortunately, there is nothing ‘mere’ about The Rook in ‘THE SCORCHED GOD!’
The Rook continues to deliver two fisted justice in two other tales included in VOLUME SIX!  Taking a trip to the Old West like no one ever has, The Rook hopes to help lost souls clear up ‘SINS OF THE PAST’!  And The Rook appears for the first time ever in a story with Reese’s latest and greatest New Pulp hero!  Lazarus Gray, of Pro Se’s SOVEREIGN CITY PROJECT, stands side by side with The Rook as they take on evil and injustice in ‘DARKNESS, SPREADING ITS WINGS OF BLACK’! 
This volume also includes an introduction by Pro Se Editor in Chief Tommy Hancock, an interview with the author, and a timeline for The Rook and the various and sundry tales told within that universe!
“Clearly, Pro Se is more than proud and pleased to be able to put out THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX,” stated Tommy Hancock, EIC of Pro Se Press.  “Barry has clearly set a standard for what a New Pulp Author and a New Pulp hero should be!  And this volume is not just chocked full with adventure, but the extras give it a more rounded feel as well.  Also, this represents another step toward Pro Se’s own house style of formatting, developed and designed by our own Sean Ali.”
AVAILABLE NOW-THE ROOK: VOLUME SIX by Barry Reese from Pro Se Press!
No shelf of New Pulp Fiction will be complete without this volume!
Pro Se Productions-Putting the Monthly Back into New Pulp!
ISBN-13: 978-1463548995  
ISBN-10: 1463548990
Release date: 06/09/11
Retail Price: $12.00
On-Line Store – https://www.createspace.com/3623250
Available NOW at http://www.amazon.com/

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