Richard Prosch, over at Six-Gun Justice, recently asked me a few questions about writing and reading. It's mostly western related, but not all. We talk about a variety of topics, and get into the books I've written lately for Wolfpack Publishing. This was my very first experience with a podcast but Richard made it easy and I really enjoyed it.
Richard is a fine writer himself. I've probably read 85 percent of what he's written, and have particularly loved his Dan Spalding Mystery series, which I collect. Check his work out on Amazon.
As for my books that we talk about on the podcast, here are the links below:
As Charles Allen Gramlich: The Talera series.
As Tyler Boone (westerns): The Scarred One: Killing Trail:
As A. W. Hart: The Wine of Violence:
As always, thanks for visiting!
Showing posts with label Richard Prosch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richard Prosch. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Friday, March 15, 2019
Capsule Reviews: Reasoner, Prosch, Whalen
Capsule Reviews:
1: Faraday: The Iron Horse, by James Reasoner.
James Reasoner creates some iconic characters and sets up a western series with a dynamite opening book. I understand there was a series of these books published in the past in which the sequels were written by other authors, but I haven't read any of those. I did much enjoy this one though.
Matthew Faraday runs a detective agency, a competitor to the Pinkertons. He brings young Daniel Britten onto his team and sends him to investigate an apparent attempt to sabotage the western expansion of the railroad. Someone is informing the Sioux of the movements and vulnerabilities of the "Iron Horse" and Britten soon begins to accumulate suspects.
We have a pretty good mystery built up here, and then a wild free-for-all ending in which the mystery is revealed and the action rolls. A really strong ending. Two particularly well developed secondary characters were Sam Callaghan, a rough frontiersmen drawn along the lines of Wild Bill Hickock, and Mordecai Vint, a peddler with a love of strong drink who also has a beautiful daughter--Laura. I have a feeling that Callaghan plays a role in the later books in the series. I liked him quite a lot.
All in all, an excellent and entertaining read.
2. Stage Fright, by Richard Prosch.
Stage Fright is the fourth book in the Dan Spalding series. Spalding is a music buff and record store owner in Ozark City who frequently gets involved in solving local crimes and helping local citizens. He's a bit of a Knight Errant, as in John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee, and the Spalding books evoke a similar feeling in me.
I've enjoyed all the previous entries in this series and this was no exception. A quick, taut thriller with lots of action and suspense.
3. Tragon of Ramura, by John M. Whalen.
This is the first book I’ve read by John M. Whalen, but it won’t be the last. It’s a standalone novel. The writing is very good, with a lot of action and well-drawn characters and settings. I’d classify it as Sword & Sorcery. Tragon is our main hero. He’s strong and courageous, but no Conan. He struggles with fears and doubts; he isn’t always top dog in a fight. One of the things I liked about the story is that it’s not just Tragon’s tale. It’s really an ensemble cast and several times we see other characters pull Tragon’s butt out of the fire. I particularly enjoyed Yusef and Darius.
The story begins when Tragon and his crew, who have been labeled pirates but hold that title in name only, arrive at a coastal town of “Afkira,” a fictionalized Africa. They are hired by a man named Hestus Variano to help him rescue his daughter from a city of sorcery called Caiphar. Mayhem ensues, of course, and Tragon finds that he has a strange connection to the daughter of Caiphar’s king. I won’t give more of the plot away so you’ll need to read it to find out what that connection is.
Whalen is certainly familiar with the tropes of Sword and Sorcery and adventure fiction. There are elements in the tale which will likely remind many readers of Burroughs’ stories of Opar. There’s also a few twists on the general Sword and Sorcery concept. All in all, I enjoyed it quite a lot.
1: Faraday: The Iron Horse, by James Reasoner.
James Reasoner creates some iconic characters and sets up a western series with a dynamite opening book. I understand there was a series of these books published in the past in which the sequels were written by other authors, but I haven't read any of those. I did much enjoy this one though.
Matthew Faraday runs a detective agency, a competitor to the Pinkertons. He brings young Daniel Britten onto his team and sends him to investigate an apparent attempt to sabotage the western expansion of the railroad. Someone is informing the Sioux of the movements and vulnerabilities of the "Iron Horse" and Britten soon begins to accumulate suspects.
We have a pretty good mystery built up here, and then a wild free-for-all ending in which the mystery is revealed and the action rolls. A really strong ending. Two particularly well developed secondary characters were Sam Callaghan, a rough frontiersmen drawn along the lines of Wild Bill Hickock, and Mordecai Vint, a peddler with a love of strong drink who also has a beautiful daughter--Laura. I have a feeling that Callaghan plays a role in the later books in the series. I liked him quite a lot.
All in all, an excellent and entertaining read.
2. Stage Fright, by Richard Prosch.
Stage Fright is the fourth book in the Dan Spalding series. Spalding is a music buff and record store owner in Ozark City who frequently gets involved in solving local crimes and helping local citizens. He's a bit of a Knight Errant, as in John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee, and the Spalding books evoke a similar feeling in me.
I've enjoyed all the previous entries in this series and this was no exception. A quick, taut thriller with lots of action and suspense.
3. Tragon of Ramura, by John M. Whalen.
This is the first book I’ve read by John M. Whalen, but it won’t be the last. It’s a standalone novel. The writing is very good, with a lot of action and well-drawn characters and settings. I’d classify it as Sword & Sorcery. Tragon is our main hero. He’s strong and courageous, but no Conan. He struggles with fears and doubts; he isn’t always top dog in a fight. One of the things I liked about the story is that it’s not just Tragon’s tale. It’s really an ensemble cast and several times we see other characters pull Tragon’s butt out of the fire. I particularly enjoyed Yusef and Darius.
The story begins when Tragon and his crew, who have been labeled pirates but hold that title in name only, arrive at a coastal town of “Afkira,” a fictionalized Africa. They are hired by a man named Hestus Variano to help him rescue his daughter from a city of sorcery called Caiphar. Mayhem ensues, of course, and Tragon finds that he has a strange connection to the daughter of Caiphar’s king. I won’t give more of the plot away so you’ll need to read it to find out what that connection is.
Whalen is certainly familiar with the tropes of Sword and Sorcery and adventure fiction. There are elements in the tale which will likely remind many readers of Burroughs’ stories of Opar. There’s also a few twists on the general Sword and Sorcery concept. All in all, I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Friday, May 02, 2014
Notable New Releases
Several of my friends have new books out that I’m eagerly
looking forward to getting and reading. Perhaps you might enjoy these works as
well. Here’s a quick blurb about them.
1. First up, Ron Scheer, over at Buddies in the Saddle has released How the West was Written:
Volume 1. Beat to a Pulp is the
publisher. Ron has been doing a long running exploration on his blog of the
early history of printed western tales. And he’s branched out well beyond such
names as Owen Wister and Zane Grey. I’ve been following his work on this
project eagerly and have ordered the book, though I haven’t yet had a chance to
read it. Both an ebook and print version are available. Here’s the link on
Amazon
2. Bernard Lee DeLeo at Bernard’s Blog has the second book in his Cold Blooded series available for preorder. I tell
you I almost NEVER preorder a book but I did this one. Looking forward to
reading it. I’ve liked everything I’ve read from DeLeo, but the first Cold Blooded was my favorite. You can
preorder here
3. C. S. Harris. The latest
in Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series has been released, Why King’s Confess. This is an excellent
historical mystery series that just ‘drips’ with atmosphere. It’s at Amazon
here. I love this series.
4. Richard Prosch has released One Against a Gun Horde,
a collection of western stories set mostly in Nebraska and Wyoming. I’ve been remiss in getting this one up. I
plead overwork. See Amazon link here.
5. Beat to a Pulp has a number of new releases out. They also have a re-release of A RipThrough Time, which yours truly has a section in. An exciting space time adventure, if I do say so myself. And I do.
6. James Reasoner and his wife Livia have also leaped into the publishing ranks with Rough Edges
Press. They have a good number of releases out already with a lot more to come.
Check out their website.
I’ve probably forgotten someone. If so, I’ll have to put up
a second edition of this short list. But, for now, happy reading!
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Monday, October 22, 2012
The Next Big Thing Blog Chain...
I was chained to this by David J. West (Author of HEROES OF THE FALLEN) so I’m sharing some things about my primary “work in progress.”
What is the working title of your book?
I’ve actually worked recently on two books but the one I’ve gotten the farthest along in is called The Razored Land.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
It’s a post-apocalyptic book, which I’ve always wanted to write. The concept of folks surviving after an apocalypse that destroys human civilization is an oldie but a goodie. Some great stories have been told in that kind of a setting. For my book, I added in the idea of a DNA plague that alters all kinds of life forms, including most humans. There are people who are immune to the plague, and that’s where the main character comes from.
What genre does your book fall under?
Post-apocalyptic literature is almost a genre of its own. However, this kind of book is typically classified as Science Fiction and I’d say that genre makes up the greatest element of the story I’ve conceived. However, there are going to be some very strong horror elements in the piece.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I don’t ever see actors playing the roles in my fiction. Not sure why. I’m not a big movie buff. If forced to choose, I might pick Colin Farrell to play the main character. Samuel Jackson might fit the primary villain, with lots of makeup. There’s also a female character that might be played well by the young woman who played the female terminator on the Sarah Conner Chronicles. She’d also need quite a bit of makeup.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
At the end of the world, love and hate meet as enemies on the final battlefield.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Neither, most likely. I have a small press publisher interested in it and that’s probably the route I’ll go.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The book is about half done at 33,000 words. It took about 8 months to write that much, although it wasn’t the only project I was working on. I have other commitments now before I can get back to it but I figure about another 8 months to finish. It would take considerably less if I wasn’t working a real job.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
There are many post-apocalyptic (PA) books out there, although some of the other elements that I’ve added in will make this book different. A Canticle for Leibowitz is one of my favorite PA books. The Stones of Power series by David Gemmell has certain things in common with my book. I could certainly name a dozen others. Andre Norton wrote some of this that was certainly an early influence on me. Jerry Ahern wrote a series called "The Survivalist" that had many elements I admired.
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I’d have to say, “reading” inspired me to it. I love post-apocalyptic books. I love the setting and the possibilities. It gives the imagination some room to run and I always enjoy that. I want to try my hand at it.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
In my novel, Cold in the Light, I had a non-human character named Kargen who many readers really liked, even though he was basically the villain of the story. He was kind of a non-human anti-hero. I’ve wanted to write such a character again and “The Razored Land” has given me that chance. I’ve got a couple of Kargenesque characters in it. I’m having fun with them.
That's it.
Now I have to chain people to this thing so I’ll name a few people but will say only for them to do it if it intrigues them and they have the time. I don’t want them to feel any kind of pressure from it. I know we writers are busy folks and the last thing I want to do is add more pressure and stress to the mix.
James Reasoner
Oscar Case
Richard Prosch
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What is the working title of your book?
I’ve actually worked recently on two books but the one I’ve gotten the farthest along in is called The Razored Land.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
It’s a post-apocalyptic book, which I’ve always wanted to write. The concept of folks surviving after an apocalypse that destroys human civilization is an oldie but a goodie. Some great stories have been told in that kind of a setting. For my book, I added in the idea of a DNA plague that alters all kinds of life forms, including most humans. There are people who are immune to the plague, and that’s where the main character comes from.
What genre does your book fall under?
Post-apocalyptic literature is almost a genre of its own. However, this kind of book is typically classified as Science Fiction and I’d say that genre makes up the greatest element of the story I’ve conceived. However, there are going to be some very strong horror elements in the piece.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I don’t ever see actors playing the roles in my fiction. Not sure why. I’m not a big movie buff. If forced to choose, I might pick Colin Farrell to play the main character. Samuel Jackson might fit the primary villain, with lots of makeup. There’s also a female character that might be played well by the young woman who played the female terminator on the Sarah Conner Chronicles. She’d also need quite a bit of makeup.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
At the end of the world, love and hate meet as enemies on the final battlefield.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Neither, most likely. I have a small press publisher interested in it and that’s probably the route I’ll go.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The book is about half done at 33,000 words. It took about 8 months to write that much, although it wasn’t the only project I was working on. I have other commitments now before I can get back to it but I figure about another 8 months to finish. It would take considerably less if I wasn’t working a real job.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
There are many post-apocalyptic (PA) books out there, although some of the other elements that I’ve added in will make this book different. A Canticle for Leibowitz is one of my favorite PA books. The Stones of Power series by David Gemmell has certain things in common with my book. I could certainly name a dozen others. Andre Norton wrote some of this that was certainly an early influence on me. Jerry Ahern wrote a series called "The Survivalist" that had many elements I admired.
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I’d have to say, “reading” inspired me to it. I love post-apocalyptic books. I love the setting and the possibilities. It gives the imagination some room to run and I always enjoy that. I want to try my hand at it.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
In my novel, Cold in the Light, I had a non-human character named Kargen who many readers really liked, even though he was basically the villain of the story. He was kind of a non-human anti-hero. I’ve wanted to write such a character again and “The Razored Land” has given me that chance. I’ve got a couple of Kargenesque characters in it. I’m having fun with them.
That's it.
Now I have to chain people to this thing so I’ll name a few people but will say only for them to do it if it intrigues them and they have the time. I don’t want them to feel any kind of pressure from it. I know we writers are busy folks and the last thing I want to do is add more pressure and stress to the mix.
James Reasoner
Oscar Case
Richard Prosch
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Friday, July 29, 2011
Painting, and My Personal West
We've been having some work done on our house for the past couple of days and they are painting in my room, among other things. That's where my computer and internet access are so that's why I haven't been around to the blogs as much. It seems to be completed now so I'm gonna start making some rounds of blogs.
In the meantime, Richard Prosch is rerunning his "My Personal West" series of posts. The one he's got up today is a guest post by me that I wrote back when Killing Trail first came out. If you didn't see it then, check it out now. It's HERE.
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In the meantime, Richard Prosch is rerunning his "My Personal West" series of posts. The one he's got up today is a guest post by me that I wrote back when Killing Trail first came out. If you didn't see it then, check it out now. It's HERE.
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Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Interview Part II
The second half of Richard Prosch's interview with me is up over at Meridian Bridge. T'would appear I'm fairly long winded. But you all knew that.
I just finished reading Crossroad Blues by our own Steve Malley and, let me say, I enjoyed it immensely. I highly recommend it. Here's what I had to say on Amazon and Goodreads:
In Crossroad Blues we have wonderful characters full of heart and emotion, one of the nastiest villains I've ever come across in fiction, and a setting that is both exotic and very real. We have joy and despair, and gain and loss. And all of it is written in a highly charged and highly visual prose.
The ending was one of those where you just sit for a few moments after the story is over and let the fullness of your emotions wash over you. It will be an ending that lingers in my mind for a long time, not because it was some special effects extravaganza or some impossible to see twist, but because it touched my emotions at a level far deeper than my eyes.
I highly recommend this book.
Another book I enjoyed recently was Slick Time by O'Neil De Noux. Here's my review of that one from Amazon:
This is a sexy caper novel, and it's a lot of fun. We've got New Orleans, the Caribbean, a sexy movie in the making, and a con. We've got a fake kidnapping, and a real one. We've got beautiful people, great food, and crystal waters cluttered up by modern day pirates. We've got some edge of your seat suspense and some excellent wry humor. And there's some steamy sex thrown in.
De Noux knows his way around New Orleans and around police procedures, and his settings are spot on.
I read this in the Kindle edition but there is also a print edition. I highly recommend it.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Interview
The first part of a two part interview with me is up over at Richard Prosch's Meridian Bridge. Thanks, Rich. I always like getting a chance to yak about writing. These were great questions and I had fun with them.
Heading into New Orleans today to check on some things at work. I have about two weeks of summer left before school starts. I love my job, don't get me wrong, but I sure have been enjoying my time away as well. Once school starts everyone will see me online and on the blogs quite a bit less frequently. I won't be able to make nearly as many comments as I have been doing this summer. I imagine the blogosphere will survive.
In those two weeks I want to put the finishing touches on a collection of my vampire stories, which is just about done, and then I want to take a few days off to do absolutely nothing but read and eat and sleep. Even though I've been off "work," I haven't been off writing and I've had a very productive summer. I do need some vegging time, though.
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
SLA Author's Night, and Writing
I was invited to the Southern Library Associations Author's Night for SF/Fantasy last night and it was a lot of fun. Another local writer, M. F. Korn, and I went. There was a question and answer session, which I enjoyed, and later we sold and signed books and talked with librarians, who are a writer's natural allies in this world. I sold quite a few copies, especialy of Swords of Talera, and was happy about that. I was a little surprised at the number of librarians who asked if our materials were on Kindle. I'd say about a third of them wanted to know about the ebook markets for out books, which in my case is virtually nonexistent except for Swords of Talera, which is available on ebook from Barnes and Noble. That was one of the questions from the audience for us in the more formal part of the night, as well.
In other news, I did a guest post on the real west over at Richard Prosch's Meridian Bridge. Thanks, Rich.
I'm working on two stories at present. One is a western tale for my planned Kindle ebook, which I'll try to publish in July. That story is working under the title "Powder Burn." The other story is for a secret project that I'm not currently at liberty to speak of. How's that for a tease? ;)
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