David Cranmer's Blog, page 120
September 3, 2011
BEAT to a PULP #142: Scion of the Evening Star by Garnett Elliott
Paul Brazill delivered one of BTAP's biggest hits with "LoVINg the Alien." Now pulp ace Garnett Elliott continues the saga with "Scion of the Evening Star."
September 1, 2011
Top Rated
This morning ADVENTURES hit #1 on Amazon's Top Rated chart. Thank you to everyone who supported the book by either buying or reviewing. Deeply appreciated, folks.
August 30, 2011
Crimes In Southern Indiana Stories
Frank Bill is the laureate of the working class hero. His characters have been pushed down, stomped on, and trampled over until they've reached their breaking points, and they are striking back to claim any little piece of ground they can get. Bill's style has been keenly compared to Woodrell, McCarthy, and Thompson. He builds on their legacy, creating an impressive, unique style all his own. Don't miss out on this exceptional collection now available.
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Also check out Keith Rawson's Revisited—The Need by Frank Bill
August 22, 2011
New Review
A very touching review of ADVENTURES from Sabrina Ogden
And I hit #2 on the top rated chart. I thank everyone on Blogger, Twitter, and Google+ who made this happen. Deeply appreciated, folks.
August 15, 2011
Pulp Ink
My story "Clouds in a Bunker" is featured in PULP INK. This antho features the spectacular talents of the following:
Allan Guthrie
Reed Farrel Coleman
Gary Phillips
Hilary Davidson
Matthew C. Funk
Paul D. Brazill
AJ Hayes
Michael J. Solender
Richard Godwin
Naomi Johnson
Jimmy Callaway
Sandra Seamans
Patti Abbott
Jodi MacArthur
Chris F. Holm
Jason Duke
Eric Beetner
Ian Ayris
Kate Horsley
Matt Lavin
Jim Harrington
Nigel Bird
Chris Rhatigan
PULP INK is the bizarre, chaotic side of crime fiction. From an ass-kicking surfer on acid to an idiot savant hitboy, these tales are dark, funny, action-packed and told with all the gleeful insanity of a Tarantino flick.
August 11, 2011
Magnum Gray in My Storytelling
I've been pondering the gray area in my storytelling, specifically where my ideas originated on social justice and the antiheroes who cross the line to administer it.
I grew up with wonderful, caring parents who doted on me, and I, in turn, loved them immensely. No rebellious years for me unless you count sneaking in a few Playboy magazines. Mom and Dad brought me up by The Golden Rule, and when they reached their late forties, they became Baptists. We went to church three times a week where I continued to be taught right from wrong. Jesus is good. Satan is evil. No middle ground. No gray area. At the same time, my mom loved old movies (Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Ronald Coleman, etc.) and my dad watched westerns (Gunsmoke and The Rifleman were favorites). Most of these heroes were straight forward with little conflict. They were good and did the right thing. That made up my foundation.
Then along came Magnum, P.I. I wanted to be Tom Selleck's Magnum. He was the good guy that men liked and women wanted. He lived on a rich estate. He drove a red Ferrari. What's not to like, right? Other kids in school and church watched Magnum and none of our parents were bothered by the show--it seems silly to say these days, but to some straight-laced folks back then, bikinis and violence could corrupt a child's mind. Yet, Magnum was considered safe, an all-American hero. Until the 1982 episode called "Did You See the Sunrise."
The plot: It starts with Magnum and T.C. (another of the show's regulars) meeting up with an old Army buddy named Nuzo who warns them that a former rival named Ivan is back to settle a score. Nuzo reminds them that they were the only three to escape Ivan's prison camp in 'Nam. SPOILER ALERT: Ivan is now a high-priced assassin who has come to Hawaii to kill a Japanese prince. Magnum and his buddies thwart the attempt, but, in the process, Magnum's friend Mac is murdered by Ivan. Because of some political red tape, the government has to let Ivan go free. That doesn't sit well with Magnum:
Holy crap! The next day, everyone I knew was talking about this final scene. Magnum, our hero, killed someone in cold blood! It was wrong! But it was ok! My mom said it was bad! My mom said it was right! I pondered this scene for weeks, coming to the realization that life is made up of gray areas that people don't seem to like to talk or even think about.
It was this episode of Magnum that sparked it all for me, unwittingly creating the germ of my fictional antihero, Cash Laramie, the outlaw marshal. Though, as you can see by Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles, Cash goes beyond Magnum's one-time, cold-blood rage and will often hunt down these monsters. His behavior gives him a sense of doubt at times, and eventually it leads him to a harsh reality in "Reflections in a Glass of Maryland Rye" (featured in the upcoming ADVENTURES Volume II).
Sorry to be so long winded and rambling on you, folks. I'm sure tracing the development of my character to one of my favorite television heroes interests me more than anyone else. But, it's not every day I have such an eye-opening moment.
I grew up with wonderful, caring parents who doted on me, and I, in turn, loved them immensely. No rebellious years for me unless you count sneaking in a few Playboy magazines. Mom and Dad brought me up by The Golden Rule, and when they reached their late forties, they became Baptists. We went to church three times a week where I continued to be taught right from wrong. Jesus is good. Satan is evil. No middle ground. No gray area. At the same time, my mom loved old movies (Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Ronald Coleman, etc.) and my dad watched westerns (Gunsmoke and The Rifleman were favorites). Most of these heroes were straight forward with little conflict. They were good and did the right thing. That made up my foundation.
Then along came Magnum, P.I. I wanted to be Tom Selleck's Magnum. He was the good guy that men liked and women wanted. He lived on a rich estate. He drove a red Ferrari. What's not to like, right? Other kids in school and church watched Magnum and none of our parents were bothered by the show--it seems silly to say these days, but to some straight-laced folks back then, bikinis and violence could corrupt a child's mind. Yet, Magnum was considered safe, an all-American hero. Until the 1982 episode called "Did You See the Sunrise."
The plot: It starts with Magnum and T.C. (another of the show's regulars) meeting up with an old Army buddy named Nuzo who warns them that a former rival named Ivan is back to settle a score. Nuzo reminds them that they were the only three to escape Ivan's prison camp in 'Nam. SPOILER ALERT: Ivan is now a high-priced assassin who has come to Hawaii to kill a Japanese prince. Magnum and his buddies thwart the attempt, but, in the process, Magnum's friend Mac is murdered by Ivan. Because of some political red tape, the government has to let Ivan go free. That doesn't sit well with Magnum:
Holy crap! The next day, everyone I knew was talking about this final scene. Magnum, our hero, killed someone in cold blood! It was wrong! But it was ok! My mom said it was bad! My mom said it was right! I pondered this scene for weeks, coming to the realization that life is made up of gray areas that people don't seem to like to talk or even think about.
It was this episode of Magnum that sparked it all for me, unwittingly creating the germ of my fictional antihero, Cash Laramie, the outlaw marshal. Though, as you can see by Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles, Cash goes beyond Magnum's one-time, cold-blood rage and will often hunt down these monsters. His behavior gives him a sense of doubt at times, and eventually it leads him to a harsh reality in "Reflections in a Glass of Maryland Rye" (featured in the upcoming ADVENTURES Volume II).
Sorry to be so long winded and rambling on you, folks. I'm sure tracing the development of my character to one of my favorite television heroes interests me more than anyone else. But, it's not every day I have such an eye-opening moment.
August 1, 2011
Crime Factory Vol. 2 No. 7
"Cash Laramie and the Painted Ladies" in issue #7 of Crime Factory.Cam, Keith, Liam, and Jimmy have put together an incredible issue that includes the incredible talents of Sean Doolittle, Todd Robinson, Matthew C. Funk, Chad Eagleton, Derek Kelly, The Nerd of Noir, Richard Thomas, Don Lafferty, Joelle Charbonneau, and many more.
Don't waste another moment and go check it out!
July 30, 2011
Gun Justice
When reading my latest Cash Laramie story, it may seem a little familiar to some readers, and, perhaps, leave them wondering why I've sent Cash down this revenge trail again. So I thought a bit of insight on the origins of "Gun Justice" would help.I wrote a story called "Justice Served" for the sadly departed Dark Valentine Magazine. At the time it was my darkest story to date and I had been apprehensive about it because Cash steps beyond the justice system to deliver retribution. I sent it off to Chuck Tyrell to go under his wizened eye and he sent back an edit he called "Gun Justice."
Sidebar: Chuck was at Cash Laramie's beginnings when he edited (along with ace writer/editor, Nik Morton) the outlaw marshal's first appearance in "Cash Laramie and the Masked Devil" for A FISTFUL OF LEGENDS. Chuck knows this character and helped contribute many fine elements to the series. I added a few of Chuck's suggestions but I stuck with my overall version then sent it off to Dark Valentine.
A few months back I was going through some old e-mails and found Chuck's edit and realized how much I now preferred his version. I sent it off to Jack Martin and he accepted it for Wild West eMonday.
So I hope you have a few moments to read the story and find out what flipped Cash Laramie from being a marshal that walked the line to being one known as the outlaw marshal. Here is "Gun Justice."
Picture of me holding a 19th century Colt.
July 27, 2011
Lawrence Block on Cash Laramie -- and Other News of The Outlaw Marshal
It's been (and is going to be) a busy week for my noir western antihero Cash Laramie. First, acclaimed crime writer Lawrence Block tweeted yesterday that "Excuse me for a bit, tweeps. I just bought Adventures of Cash Laramie and I want to start reading it..." Now if that didn't stop me cold in my tracks, his tweet the next day did, "…I did read & enjoy several stories in Cash." Needless to say, I'm going to be framing a couple of Twitter tweets!Chuck Tyrell is interviewed by Jeanne Bannon. I've been working closely with Mr. Tyrell on a Cash Laramie novel, and he offers you a tiny glimpse here.
I'm a big fan of what Keith and the boys are doing with Crimefactory. I've wanted to be in CF for years, and I'm finally getting my chance with "Cash Laramie and the Painted Ladies" in issue #7 coming very soon.
And on Jack Martin's next Wild West eMonday, Cash's "Gun Justice" appears. This is a short blood-splattered tale written with Chuck Tyrell.
And, of course, many thanks go to the Cash & Miles fans who took the time to leave comments on Amazon and post reviews on their individual blogs. I'm deeply appreciative to one and all.
July 26, 2011
7 Questions with...
Frank Bill. Right here.
