I'm Still Here

Geez, how long has it been since I updated this thing.

Let's see, the good news, I guess, is that I have stopped taking on new writing projects. Why because I have a freakin grocery list of things to write and they ain't writing themselves.

Doing a little fan fiction for my guilty pleasure writing. Check out Nightwing at Faux DC for all that goodness. Nightwing at FDC!

I'm half a scene away from finishing some High Fantasy that I hope to find a buyer for. It has already grown past what I wanted far as length goes. Once that is done I have a hefty 15k short story to start hammering out.

I've stopped drawing for the PUMMEL league over at Penciljack because I wasn't putting enough energy into it, got stomped every month and it was a stress point where no money could be made. So why do it? Right, boot.

Still part of DRAW OFF! on Facebook.

Been reading a ton of Star Wars novels and all of them are good. Shatterpoint is a Mace Windu book and just rocked. I do need to get at a review for the new Lazarus Gray novel soon...

Currently rereading The Bloody Crown of Conan by the amazing Robert E Howard. Ohhh... just cause. Maybe...

It's late and you have just been updated.

More later.

CWR 9.10.2012

RUSSETTE'S REVIEWS #3

THE ADVENTURES OF LAZARUS GRAY by Barry Reese delivers everything that I was hoping it would. There is plenty of action, occult, happenings, a quartet of interesting characters and even a guest star from Mr. Reese’s other, likely better known character, The Rook.


I have read elsewhere that this is a character that is a sort of homage to the classic pulp character The Avenger. I’ve never read anything of said character so I went in blind save for the knowledge that Mr. Reese knows how to spin a yarn.

There are seven stories to be found within this collection. Some have seen print before elsewhere but they were all new to me. I won’t say that I liked them all equally (or disliked ANY) but that is only because we all have preferences. I lean towards the supernatural side of things and those tales Mr. Reese wrote involving Mr. Gray and Assistance Unlimited were great fun and interesting to read.

The pacing in every story is breakneck and frankly it makes the book rather hard to put down. I won’t give away anything as far as the plot goes. Pertaining to the characters of Gray’s team I will say that I find each every bit as interesting as the lead in the tales. I particularly thing that Samantha could hold a story or two all by her lonesome.

As far as being worthy to be included among the great tales coming forth from the New Pulp movement, Lazarus Gray and his crew have their place of honor cemented.


C. William Russette

Pa.

2012

RUSSETTE'S REVIEWS #2

DRACULA LIVES! By Joshua Reynolds has been on my to-read list for some time. I am a fan of Mr. Reynolds work, have been for some time but I have been fond of the vampire mythos for much, much longer. I was not about to forgive any mucking about with my beast of legend.


The tale stars a man named Cream. He is an assassin and very good one. I must give points to Reynolds for writing not a show-boaty kind of action star of an assassin but rather a lean killer that does enough to come out on top,often using his brains before his other dangerous abilities. Not a layer of frosting here to make him seem cool. Cream is just cold, proficient and quite lethal. My expectations on the handling of a man in this sort of profession were exceeded.

Come to think of it the entire tale is lean. Nothing frivolous or distracting about the story, characters or prose style. There’s very little backstory getting fed to you, the reader, bogging you down and slowing things up. It’s hit the ground running and you better move fast or it’s your life!

That is very much what Cream is up against. He is running for his life for the entire book. There are a multitude of factions working against him, all of which underestimate him again and again to their regret, that is for certain. Whether it is against man or monster, Cream holds his own quite well. A very impressive man by all accounts.

There is plot, action, horror and intrigue in spades in this cross-genre, well-spun tale. It is a bargain at full price and a book not to be missed.

I must find a way to get Mr. Reynolds to hammer out the damned sequel immediately!



C. William Russette
Pa.
2012

Some Great News!

Is what I got today involving a large piece of writing I've been hammering at for years.

I can't say much more at this time.

Stay tuned.

Novels and Notes

And the grind continues. But in a brilliant way. Writing is work to be sure but a gig that I would gladly do full time even if I just broke even. I know I ain't alone in this thinking so I shall just roll on. (did I just use 'ain't and 'shall' in the same sentence?)

I submitted my novel Shaman Skin to a pubisher and have my fingers crossed. I detest waiting.

Not waiting around I am hard at work retooling an old tale for an anthology book kinda thing that for now I am calling NEW MYTHOLOGY. When thats done I'll have... one story for it. So there's some work to do but I have ideas for the second and third stories bouncing around in plot and notes form. Very excited to finally be working on the first Dr. Alec Darrius stories.

Til next time.

RUSSETTE REVIEWS: The Myth Hunter

The MYTH HUNTER is the first book by Percival Constantine that I have read. Being a fan of things mythological I have been eagerly waiting to read this work. I was not disappointed.

The tale stars one Elisa Hill. She is a myth hunter or one that seeks out the validity and reality of what we know as mythology. She has some serious and well funded opposition in a mysterious organization called The Order. She also has allies and makes new ones along the way. (such as the fox spirit or kitsune) Basically it’s a beat the clock story wherein both the Order and Hill and her allies are trying to be the first to find the real Lemuria.

We are very much kept in the dark about the Order on many levels. One thing is certain and that is that they are more than human and more than they appear to be. Their aspirations must be stopped. Elisa does her best to do just that.

Overall all I liked the work. There are some great action scenes, the pace is brisk, there were no dull points. When I had to put it down I looked forward to being able to pick it up again. As Lemuria is not a subject I knew very much about I thought it was a great original idea for a tale. I was also impressed with Constantine’s research in regards to ancient weapons, history and geography.

On the downside it left me wanting more. I know, that was likely the goal of the writer but it burns me. I wanted to know more about everything! Hill, the Order, her parent’s past (they were also myth hunters) the kitsune did nothing but raise questions. There were some dialogue choices that felt a bit snarky and out of character to me.
This is a solid romp that I tore through and would very much like to read the sequel to.

Fortunately I believe I won’t have long to wait.

Some Art and an Award

Couple bits of art
The first was an experiment in style and color with The Crimson Mask.

2nd was a draw off involving the creator Akira.

Now regardng the award The Pulp Ark awards have been announced:

Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions and Pulp Ark Coordinator, announces that voting has closed for the 2012 Pulp Ark Awards, the first awards given in association with this inaugural Pulp creators' conference/convention.
The Winners of the 2012 Pulp Ark Awards are-
BEST NOVEL-Yesteryear by Tommy Hancock (Pro Se Productions)
BEST COLLECTION/ANTHOLOGY-Four Bullets for Dillon (Pulpwork Press)
BEST SHORT STORY- The Devil’s Workmen by Barry Reese-The Avenger: The Justice Inc Files (Moonstone)
BEST COVER ART-Hugh Monn, Private Detective-by David Russell (Pro Se Productions)
BEST INTERIOR ART-The Adventures of Lazarus Gray-George Sellas (Pro Se Productions)
BEST PULP RELATED COMIC-All Star Pulp Comics #1 (Airship 27 Productions)
BEST PULP MAGAZINE-Pro Se Presents (Pro Se Productions)
BEST PULP REVIVAL-The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage by Will Murray (Altus Press)
BEST NEW PULP CHARACTER- John Blackthorn Created by Van Allen Plexico (White Rocket Books)
BEST AUTHOR-Teel James Glenn
BEST NEW WRITER-TIE Sean Taylor And Chuck Miller
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD-Howard Hopkins

My little Black Bat tale is in ALL STAR PULP COMICS so I contributed a bit to the award.

Those interested can buy the book here http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.robmdavis.com%2FRedbudStudio%2Findex.html&h=kAQFJzev4AQFtj6uJYHwcJoby2ZpnQG6g3wJLLoId4t5Agg

That'll do for now.

Man...

I really need to update this more.







This should hold you until I do.

I'll shoot for tomorrow. I HAVE been workin on a thing or two after all...