MIke Baron's 'Biker-Bad Road Rising.' Book Review

My review of Mighty Mike Baron's Novel, 'Biker-Bad Road Rising'

https://www.amazon.com/review/R396JPPIUFHWB4/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1504042018

 

A darkness is coming...

A darkness is coming. A monstrous, fearsome evil that instills terror with its mere presence. A being of pure malevolence. One who is both powerful and patient. He has hidden in the shadows for centuries; preparing, planning for his eventual unveiling upon the world. He was content to stay hidden a short while longer, until his plans were undeniable and fool proof.

But recently an unforeseen threat to his machinations has arisen. A threat that will destroy his long standing, long created plans for world conquest.

Now this evil, this monstrous, vile and corrupt schemer must first dispose of that threat to his preparations before he can move forward. He must discredit and destroy them in every way.

Hyperforce must die.

Join Captain Power, Solaron, Dragonfly, Silver Shadow, Creature and Stryker as they battle to survive within the pages of ‘Hyperforce II-Of Madmen and Megalomaniacs’ available at http://tinyurl.com/hyperforce2

http://tinyurl.com/hyperforce2

Good weekend

As Sunday night rolls to a close I'm reflecting on a very good weekend, specifically Saturday night. Oh, Friday wasn't bad either, but nothing important, beyond the weather being decent. But Saturday night I went out with some friends and had a great time seeing a band at a beach venue then, travelling  to another bar west and north of the beach bar and watching a Van Halen (Diamond Dave era) cover band rock the house. I had a good time. I haven't been going out that much this summer, so last night felt good on a lot of levels. I was hanging out with some cool friends and really had a blast. Then after I headed home I stopped at my brother's house, who was having a little impromptu get together at his house (He lives around the corner from me.) I stayed there about 15 minutes and then headed home. All in all, it was probably the most fun I've had all summer.
Today was a hot and muggy day here on Long Island. Yet another in a broken string of them. I can't say I'm saddened to see this summer end, but I know I'm NOT looking forward to winter rearing its ugly head once again. Hey, what am I going to do? Another two weeks and I'll be putting up Halloween decorations, if you can imagine that. Ugghh. Time waits for no man. It just steps on your spine and grinds you into the ground.

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

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New (old) book added to my list of books.

I realized last night that this book which I have a flash fiction story in was not added to my list of books, so I had amazon add it. It's one very short story, but there's a bunch of otehr stories in there that are fun too. Check 'em out, for .99 cents you can't go wrong.

https://www.amazon.com/Indies-Unlimiteds-Fiction-Anthology-Unlimited-ebook/dp/B00XZ5FU5M/ref=la_B008M0PW6W_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473972601&sr=1-16&refinements=p_82%3AB008M0PW6W

 

 

For the complete list of books I have either written or have a story in visit either http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

 

or http://rlangelojr.com

My review of Chuck Dixon's 'Bad Times 5-Sons of Heaven'

https://smile.amazon.com/review/R1OTCTHSJ0Z5T4/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01EP4HWAM&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=133140011&store=digital-text

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

An excellent NEW review of my new novel Hyperforce II-Of madmen and Megalomaniacs

An excellent review of my new novel Hyperforce II https://smile.amazon.com/review/R3FK3IW7LJA9OL/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01L60IUYK&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=283155&store=books

 

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Ralphs Rants interviews Author Jaime Ramos!

Ralph’s Rants interviews Author Jaime Ramos

Hello Jaime, how are you?

 I’m doing pretty damn good sir, thank you.

Great to hear!  Jaime, tell us about your novel ‘Singularity.’  What’s it about?

Singularity: Rise of the Posthumans is an anthology revolving around the theory of the technological singularity changing our world as we know it.  It’s set in the city of New Southamption in the future.  Steam powers the city and a tyrant is running things.  Each story introduces a hero that is rising up and rebelling against this tyrant.

What was your inspiration for writing Singularity?

I’ve always wanted to do a super-hero anthology.  I also read extensively concerning the theory of the tech singularity.  People told me that a super-hero anthology would never find writers and would never find a publisher.  I proved those people wrong on both counts. I have top-notch writers and a great publisher in Pro Se Productions.  I get tired of people telling me that I can’t do something and that things aren’t going to work.  I ignore that nonsense.

How much of you is in Singularity? Are any of the characters based on you in any way shape or form? Or are they all?

Great question.  My signature character Dr. Bravo are loosely based on two of my favorite people. Brad and Kari Burmaster.  I never base characters on myself normally.  However, the need to rebel against tyranny is an ongoing theme that I believe in.  Look at the garbage that our government is peddling and you will agree with me.

What setting is Singularity in, meaning is it current time? Or set in some decade in the past?

These stories are set in 2075.

Is there a sequel planned?

I’m working on the sequel as we speak.  This volume is really going to blow your socks off!   I am negotiating with some big names. Now I have to deliver the goods.

What authors/artists inspire you in your writing?

I find inspiration in Shakespeare, Trevanian, Musashi, Frank Miller, Robert Shea, Roger Zelazny, The two Lees: Bruce and Stan.  The one and only David Michelinie. I’m a fan of Hemmingway.  As far as artists are concerned, I mostly like comic book artists.  Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo, Gene Day, Michael Golden, James O’Barr, Mark Silvestri, Rob Liefeld, and a dude you’ve probably never heard of named Raz Tsolman.

How many characters are in Singularity? Is there one main character or several?

There are seven main characters.

To you, what make Singularity special? What made you want to tell this story?

Each writer interpreted my vision of a shared universe slightly different.  These differences were really interesting and I think gives the readers different visions of one whole concept.  Conceptually this has drawn a bit of ire from some reviewers, and I see their points, but I didn’t want to choke the life out of my writers.  Each story has heart and there’s a rebellion brewing in that book.

Finally, what’s next for Jaime E. Ramos?

Singularity 2 is being worked on as we speak.  I am finishing up a story called Golgotha: The City of Skulls.  I am also working on a solo novel titled Cash Rawlins and the Infernal Eye.  I have an idea for another pulp character called the Fighting American Seahawk, but no publisher yet.  I want to do a graphic novel for my character Der Geiger, the Violinist.  I have a lot of options, on the back burner I want to do a fantasy novel.

Jaime it’s been great talking to you, feel free to leave links for your web page or links to where Singularity can be purchased or for whatever you’d like for our readers to get to know you better.

Singularity can be purchased on Amazon and Kindle.  I have had the great support of friends and family alike, and I really want to say thanks!

Thanks for joining us today, Jaime. Best of luck in all your projects, we’ll see you soon!

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Happy Labor Day! 2016!

Labor Day weekend is drawing to  a close as I write this. Another summer is in the books and another fall and winter looms before us all. Soon the shorts will be put away, the air conditioners will come out of the windows and the BBQ's and patio chairs will be put back in sheds all across America. Before we know it the Halloween decorations will be coming out and not long after that we'll all be talking turkey and then awaiting Santa's arrival on Jesus's birthday. Winters chill will have set in by that time and after New years day we'll all be longing for the days of spring and summer once again.

But in the meantime, enjoy the next month and more before it starts to get cold. We've had a hot, muggy summer here in the northeast. I'm not lamenting its passing at all. Even now its 76 degrees here at 11:45 at night and humid. My A/C is still blowing as we speak.

So what do I have planned for the next few months? Well, I'm just starting the promotion for Hyperforce II, and after that I intend to get the ball rolling on the fourth Cagliostro Chronicles book. I also intend to write some short stories for different anthologies. Stuff I can finish in a week. I have a new character brewing in my mind right now. Sort of a modern day adventurer. He'll be making his debut somewhere. Also I intend to read a lot and play a lot more guitar. Those are my plans as of now.

So what are you plans for the next few months? Feel free to share them right here in the comments section. Take care and have a great night  and once again, Happy Labor Day!

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

A little taste of 'Hyperforce II-Of Madmen and Megalomaniacs.'

A little preview of 'Hyperforce 2'  

Chapter 1

Like rats into a trap

“Cap, watch your five o’clock.”

“I’m on it, Sol. Thanks.”

Captain Power soared through the sky above upstate New York. Missiles went off and rocked the air all around him with chaotic, deafening explosions. Beside him, but slightly behind flew the yellow and black clad ‘Stryker.’ The Two heroes were cutting a swath through a seemingly never ending barrage of missiles fired at them from the ground far below.

“Hey mate, this ain’t exactly fun, is it?” Stryker’s accented voice rang through Cap’s earbud communicator, in the same way Solaron’s had a moment earlier.

Cap grimaced and then replied, “No ‘mate,’ it’s not. This is no game, either. Someone has targeted us and has been attacking us for weeks; now Sol has pinpointed the source of those attacks to here. It’s about time we returned the favor and said hello to our mysterious enemy, whoever he is.”

Captain Power was a big man. He stood six feet eight inches tall and had long brown hair that reached to between his shoulder blades, and almost to the middle of his back. He was also very powerfully built. Clad in his white and blue costume with a lightning bolt emblazoned on its front and the twin bolts on his blue cape, he was an impressive figure rocketing through the sky. In fact, to say it would be an understatement.

Stryker was no less impressive in his own way. His costume consisted of a black and yellow leather bodysuit with a form fitting mask that only allowed his mouth and nose to show. Yellow lenses covered his eyes and a blonde Van Dyke covered his chin. He was every bit the rogue he appeared to be.

“Where are you, Sol?” Cap asked.

“We’re coming in fast on your six right now, Captain. Clear the air for us you two, The ‘Star Rapier’ is bringing in the rest of the team,” Solaron replied.

“Consider it cleared, Mate,” Stryker said.

The big Australian cut away from Cap, arcing to his right, to blast several approaching missiles with his explosive energy rays.

Cap watched him an instant, and then rocketed away toward another pack of oncoming missiles.

Captain Power unleashed his own energy blasts; force beams that resembled the energy he blasted out of his legs to fly with. Each powerful blast obliterated the missiles immediately. The downside was that on the ground it sounded like a war was going on somewhere high above in the sky over the Catskill Mountains.

That couldn’t be any closer to the truth.

“Cap!” Solaron’s voice interrupted, “Heads up, you’ve got one heading directly for you on your eight o’clock.”

Captain Power spun just in time to see the missile bearing down on him; instinctively he drew his massive fist back and with a snarl drove it forward with earth shattering force into the missiles nose.

The sky lit up all around the powerhouse, obscuring him from view. Stryker immediately rushed through the air to his teammate’s side, “Cap! Where are ya, ya bloo’ey nit? C’mon, you can’t be dead. No way a stinkin’ missile would ever take a pain in the arse like you out.”

Stryker raced about the sky where Cap had last been seen, but the heavy smoke from the explosion obscured his vision.

“Bloo’ey hell! Where is he?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out what happened within the pages of 'Hyperforce II-Of Madmen and Megalomaniacs' available on Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/hyperforce2

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

The Blair Witch, What???

I recently found out that there's another 'Blair Witch' movie coming out very soon. This surprised me quite a bit. The original Blair Witch, called 'The Blair Witch Project' was a 'found footage' film, possibly the first of its kind, and if it wasn't it inspired a generation of filmmakers to follow suit (See 'Cloverfield' or the 'Paranormal Activity' series to name two of the most popular). I actually did  a quick google search and found 28 recent found footage horror movies. So its become a 'thing.' I'm not sure if The Blair Witch started it all, but it definitely contributed to it mightily.

What I remember about 'The Blair Witch Project' was how stark and outright terrifying it was. The two subsequent sequels were just filmed as movies and did NOT have that feel like the original did. They were run of the mill horror flicks. Not bad in my opinion, but not memorable either.

The original was very different. I remember thinking how outright stupid a few of the protagonists seemed in the film for some of the actions they took, but that was it's only flaw to me. This was a scary flick that stayed with me. There were certain very well written elements in this movie that made it memorable to me. One (and probably the most frightening to me at the time) was the moment early in the film where the protagonists were reading about this supposed witch who would make her victims stand in the corner of her basement facing the wall while she tortured and murdered others. The last scene in  the movie involved the female of the group who finds her way into the abandoned houses basement for shelter and she finds her friend in there facing the wall. Then, as she's shouting for him, she gets hit over the head,  her camera drops and the screen goes dark after a few seconds of silence. 

Well done, scary stuff.

Let's hope the new installment can live up to that. Here's the trailer for the new film:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0MayhTqL1Q&feature=youtu.be 


Also, my new novel 'Hyperforce II-Of madmen and Megalomaniacs' is now available at http://RLAngeloJr.com 

Hey great news! 'Stranger Things'  The absolute best TV series to appear on Netflix, or probably anywhere, has finally been renewed for season two! It was a no brainer and I think they were just making us all nervous on purpose by not greenlighting season two the day after season one hit, but hey they finally did and I for one can't wait. More awesomeness-They gave us all the titles of every episode in advance. How cool is that?

Here's the link to all the info about the new season-

Things are getting Strange again~!

PS- The second Hyperforce book has JUST been released and is available at http://tinyurl.com/hyperforce2

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Hyperforce II-Of Madmen and Megalomaniacs is available now!

My new release-Hyperforce II-Of Madmen and Megalomaniacs' is now available !

What is Hyperforce II about you might ask? It's about the superteam Hyperforce's continuing adventures as they seek to discover the whereabouts of one of their first enemies, 'Mindmaster' who has been purposely dogging the team for months. he's been causing havoc for an unknown purpose. But that purpose now becomes clear.

This is not the only threat facing them though, as a subsea adventure looms when a brand new subsea powerhouse appears and draws them into an adventure beneath the waves. It's an adventure that will have far reaching ramifications for Hyperforce.

After this, the team will meet their deadliest and most terrible foe to date. One who will issue a bloodcurdling battle cry of 'Kneel and know Dyspair!' before raining awful destruction upon them all! Will Hyperforce be able to survive the horrible attacks of this new world conqueror?

Also, who is this mysterious newcomer who hides in the shadows, watching, waiting and assessing the team? Is he friend or foe? Is he an ally looking to aid them in their struggles? Or some new Knightmare seeking to give them yet another hurdle to overcome?

And finally, is their a traitor amongst them,? A serpent in their midst? Has one of their number really been sent to spy upon them and destroy them from within?

Drama, Danger, Action, Adventure and lots more await within the pages of Hyperforce II!

Join Captain Power, Solaron, Dragonfly, Silver Shadow, Creature, and Stryker as they strive against all odds to win the day.

Featuring a  stunning new cover by the inimitable Gustav Barta.



Find out the answers to all of these questions and more within the pages of the new novel  'Hyperforce II-Of Madmen and Megalomaniacs'  available at http://tinyurl.com/hyperforce2

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Nuff Said...

Soon...

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Gustav Barta

This is the FB page of my cover artist, Gustav Barta. I think he's fantastic!  Check out his page and also his website!

https://www.facebook.com/GustavBarta/

Website : http://gustavbarta.weebly.com/ 

To see what he's done for me, go to my website and check out any of my covers on my novels that are published through Cosmic Comet Publishing. 

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

The Earth Station DCU Episode 2 - DC TV Shows

The Earth Station DCU Episode 2 - DC TV Shows   A podcast I was involved in discussing the DCU TV shows, check it out! It's great fun!

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Did I mention...

That both 'Redemption of the Sorcerer' and 'The Cagliostro Chronicles' are on sale for only 0.99 cents in kindle format?

Get your copy of 'Redemption' here by clicking on the image below

 

 

 

 

Get your copy of  'The Cagliostro Chronicles' by clicking below

 

 





Ralph's Rants-Bits and Pieces...

So a quick note today. Just wanted you to all know that I have completed my next novel-the writing stage of it, anyway. Now it's got to go off to editing. The cover is done as well and the outstanding Gustav Barta has That should see publication within the next month or so.

Also another book I had a hand in, 'Sinbad the New Voyages-Volume IV' has made its way to becoming an Audiobook on Audible. It's always a great feeling to hear my words spoken by a terrific voice actor, and Ron and Rob over at Airship 27 productions have hit another homerun out of the park. Jeff Fournier did a fantastic job on the voice characterizations.

And lastly, my website is now all new and improved.   Check it out at http://RLAngeloJr.com

Have a great day everyone, and I'll talk to you soon!

Roger and out
-Ralph

What's uppppp???

Hey friends, Roman's etc. How y'all doin'? This is Ralph checking in. Yes, I know it's been a while but I just wanted to stop by and say  Heee-llll-ooo!!!

Okay now that I've got that out of the way, I'm still working on the way behind Hyperforce sequel, but I am making headway. I talked to my cover artist yesterday and he's starting work on a new cover. Now I just have to finish the last chapter and get the book out to an editor. One thing I can guarantee you is that it will have been worth the wait!

Once this is finished I'll be jumping right into the next Cagliostro Chronicle.

So good things are on the horizon from me!

In the meantime you can catch up on the first Hyperforce novel here at http://tinyurl.com/hyperforce where its available in  kindle, paperback and audio versions! All cool stuff.

Also if you need to catch up on the first three Cagliostro Chronicles you can right here at http://tinyurl.com/cagchron

Okay cool! Thanks for the interest in my page and for following me as well as for reading my books. If you have any comments or questions feel free  to leave them in the comments box at the bottom, rock on True Believers!

Marilyn Weimer Interview on Ralph's Rants

Marilyn Weimer Interview

Hello and welcome to Ralph’s Rants. Today I’ll be interviewing author Marilyn Weimer. Hello Marilyn, how are you today?

Ralph, thank you for inviting me for this wonderful opportunity.

Marilyn, what can you tell us about yourself?

I began writing when I went back to college in Southern Calif. And found in Creative writing that I could write and enjoyed writing.

What genre do your books fall into?

Contemporary fiction (tinted with a little fantasy).

Do you have a writing schedule or plan? Do you write the same time every day? Or just when the urge hits you?

I am a morning person and more creative then, but usually I edit in the afternoon. Since I’m an artist I balance between the two. I teach watercolor classes and I set writing aside to prepare for the class.

What era do your stories take place in?

Present. The theme of MariKay’s Rainbow is the protagonist wants to build a WWII memorial museum in memory of his grandfather.

How many books do you have out there?

Two and one in editing process. I have worked on the third for over twenty years.

What is the next release from you about?

The novel takes place in Perris, CA. Two 15^th century Spanish brothers searching for gold are led by a Meha maiden to a California gold mine. Present day young woman, an amateur archeologists, discovers human bones and a gold medallion on her family homestead. She intends to use her discovery and stop her father from constructing on her grandfather’s land.

When will we see it out there?

This fall or spring 2017.

What other books or stories do you have planned for release this year?

None this year. I have worked on an outline for a possible sequel to the first two stories because I’ve been asked by more than one person.

Who are your inspirations as a writer?

Sonja Massy “Far and Away” and Dorothea Frank Benton “Lowcountry Summer”

What author or novel made you decide to become a writer yourself?

Ms. Massy. I met her and enjoyed her book and movie and discovered how personable she is and was inspired by her.

Marilyn, feel free to leave links to your web page or your blog or direct links to your books or whatever you would like here.

Amazon.com MariKay’s Rainbow and Rawnie’s Mirage   http://marilynweimer.weebly.com

Once gain I thank you for joining us here on Ralph’s Rants; it’s been a pleasure chatting with you. Good luck with all of your books and writing endeavors. Have a great day!

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

C.E Martin Interview

Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of ‘Ralph’s Rants does interviews’

Today our guest is author C.E. Martin. 

Hello C.E. and welcome to Ralph’s Rants, how are you doing today?
All in all, pretty good. My only real complaint is that I'm not a full-time author--that would be pretty awesome. 

C.E., why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?
I'm a USAF veteran, having served from 1990-1994 as a law enforcement specialist. After the service, I returned home and eventually worked as a criminal investigator for the local prosecutor. I stuck with that for a little over seventeen years, before stress took its toll and the writing bug had thoroughly chomped on me. I retired to pursue writing, but wasn't able to get the numbers I needed to stay even semi-retired, so I took a job working at my best friend's business. It's a nice, stress free environment with a small team, but I wish on a daily basis I could return to writing full-time from home.

Aside from all that career stuff, I'm married, with two daughters (16 and 10), and spend what little free time I have X-boxing or watching cheesy B Movies.

Are you considered an adventure fiction or new pulp author?
That's an interesting question, and varies from person to person, I'd guess. It seems to me most of the New Pulpers think Pulp equals a setting in the 1930s and lots of Fedoras. I'm not seeing much in the way of Conan, Tarzan or John Carter-type stories in New Pulp. To me, (New) Pulp is a style, not a setting. It's the predecessor of the modern Thriller, with page-turning, over-the-top action. Which is exactly what I write--with emphasis on over-the-top. So, I'd say I'm definitely more New Pulp than Adventure, but readers may have their opinion. 

What have you written in the past?
So far, in my four years of self-publishing, I've written 11 novels and 12 short stories all set in the same supersoldiers vs the supernatural universe. I also wrote a Middle-grade Kid Pulp story, so my youngest could read something I wrote--it's kind of a mashup of "Toy Story" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", with an ex-Action Figure-turned-detective solving the murder of a famous fashion doll. Before self-publishing I had written a few novels and several short stories, most of which are in a box or filing cabinet somewhere in my basement. 

I also tried my hand at screenplays in 2011--I am a huge movie fan. One was a B Movie-esque story of a mailman who discovers he's descended from a skinwalker and a bezerker when zombies invade his neighborhood—a werewolf vs undead story prime for Syfy's saturday nights. One of these days, I'll convert it to novella format and self-publish it. My second screenplay attempt, Mythical, was a carefully engineered Young Adult story of two teens stumbling into the middle of a secret war between humanity and the forces of darkness. I enjoyed it so much, I novelized it and self-pubbed it on Kindle, beginning my current Stone Soldiers supernatural military thriller series. I have to say that screenplays are so much more satisfying to write, because not having to do the narrative lets you churn them out superfast. I wish I could do more, but I have to devote what little writing time I have toward projects I can actually sell as ebooks. 

What do you consider your greatest piece, (story, book, novel, etc.) out of anything you have written up until now?
Tough call, but I'll go with one of my short stories from last year, Infernal Machine. It's from my Shadow Detachment series of shorts that are prequels to my main novel series, Stone Soldiers. Basically, it's the story of a supernatural computer, built by demonic beings, that turns against its masters to help humanity. I had wanted to do an A.I. character in my main series for some time, but didn't want to go with the cliche'd super computer built by some secret government lab. As such, it really limited how the A.I. appeared in the series. Finally, I was able to come up with a unique spin on its origins. Plus, I really liked doing the reverse of the standard A.I. tropes: Max, the name the A.I. gives itself, chooses to serve humanity and has a definite Christian philosphy--made easy by the fact that it was built by demons, so it knows Heaven and Hell are real. I like how this turns so many previous A.I. stories on their head--the intelligent computer is good rather than evil... HAL 9000, Skynet, Colossus, Tron, Matrix, WOPR, etc. etc. I was also delighted to have worked faith (the machine's) into an A.I. story--a recurring theme in my series--without being preachy.
Http://amzn.com/B018PK0PIS

Who has served as an inspiration to you as a writer?
Well, that's a list really. Will Murray was my initial inspiration to write, way back in the 1980s when he was ghosting for Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir on The Destroyer  series. Murphy, Sapir and Lester Dent further inspired me, once I realized the sheer amount of writing they had done on their series. Alas, the slush piles swallowed most of my submissions to publishers back then, and I only sporadically wrote. When I discovered Kindle Direct Publishing in 2012, the urge to write flared up again and I began writing right around the Dinosaurs of traditional publishing and put my work out for whomever was interested.

The late Warren Murphy was an excellent role models for authors to not only keep plugging away, but in appreciating your customers--the readers. I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Murphy before he passed away last year, and his dedication to writing--right up to the very end--is further inspiration to never quit and keep doing what you love. Even if it is just on the weekends.

C.E., what do you seek to imbue a story with when writing it? Is there anything in particular you strive to ad to a story to make it a signature C.E. Martin tale?
Action. I hate dialogue, but grudgingly admit it is needed to move a story along. Unlike TV, where talking is literally cheap, I don't fill scenes with people standing around in Picardian fashion, talking about what they are going to do. I have action, action, action, with characters talking during the thick of it, or as foreshadowing just before a mission. I also want my action to be over the top. My evil villains are really, really evil--there's no doubt about they're evil. Conversely, the heroes are super heroic and super human. I know the trend these days is to have ordinary people fend off the bad guy, but I like a clash of titans. Must be all the comic books I read and all the Godzilla movies I watched as a kid. 

I also portray the military positively. There's nowhere near enough of that in fiction anymore. I get tired of the military portrayed as heavies, or bumbling idiots in so many films. Being the military doesn't make my characters heroes, it's because they are heroes they're in the military to begin with. When I started in 2012, there weren't very many other military supernatural works out there. Now there are quite a few. I could be envious, but I'm glad my fellow veteran/authors are getting the message out there.

What is your upcoming release schedule looking like? What is the next story from you we can look forward to?
I'm sure it will once again turn out to be more grandiose than what I'll actually have the time to do... Just like every year...

I'm finishing up the last short story in the Shadow Detachment prequel series for a while. The series served a twofold purpose for me: it gave me new content to release every month, and it gave me a bunch of short fiction to convert to audio for this summer. I've already begun recording myself reading the stories, and will probably start releasing them in April or May. 

Before then, I've got a new series I want to release, Shadow Raiders, again in the same universe, where the supersoldiers travel to alternate planes of reality to take the fight right to evil's doorstep, so to speak. Unlike Shadow Detachment, this series, unless it becomes wildly successful at the get go, will only have one or two releases a year. 

I've also got to wrap up the twelve-book arc of Stone Soldiers that I started in 2012. One book to go, then I'll probably scale back to novellas if I continue that series. Again, it's based on numbers, with readers determining if it continues. If it doesn't, I have plenty of other stuff I'd love to write, ranging from more "real-world" stories all the way to a Christian Post-Apocalyptic Space Opera I've wanted to do for about ten years now. 

But to answer the original question, my current work-in-progress is a Cold War supernatural adventure entitled "Red Magik"...

What is it about?
Red Magik is set in 1981, at the height of the Cold War. The U.S. has just learned that the Soviets have Medusa's head and are working on unlocking the secret to her ability to turn people to stone. Anyone having read my Stone Soldiers series knows that Medusa's head is part of the process of making living stone soldiers, so this is where I finally show how the head was obtained. It's a tale of infiltration and theft--a paranormal heist behind the iron Curtain, that takes the lead character from Stone Soldiers out of his comfort zone as a commando and forces him to work alongside a psychic spy. There's a surprise villain thrown in for the climax, and the whole thing is my homage to Cold War action movies such as Clint Eastwood's Firefox movie. Hopefully this will be done and out before the end of march 2016. 

Who are the protagonist(s)?
Colonel Mark Kenslir, the Spellbreaker, as readers of the Shadow Detachment series have come to know him, is the lead character. A man carrying three curses that grant him immortality, super human strength and the ability to come back from the dead--all while dampening his natural ability to negate magical energies. This time around, Kenslir must team up with a female telepath who's quietly been reading minds in Moscow, gathering intelligence without her targets even knowing it. Unlike Kenslir, this telepath has been shielded from the full scope of the war against the forces of darkness and magic in the world, so she's in for an awakening of sorts when the duo raid a distant Siberian prison camp to steal Medusa's head. 

What makes them extraordinary?
Well... Kenslir is superhumanly strong, resists most injury and is unaffected by magical or psychic abilities. He's resisted the effects of a werewolf bite, a basilisk's glare and the curse of the Fountain of Youth, thanks to his own inherent abilities as a seventh son of a seventh son. Remember--I like over-the-top, and this character is part parody of the convoluted origins of 1970s comic book characters. Immortal, with decades of combat experience under his belt, he's the old-school Pulp-type character--like Doc Savage with a machinegun and supernatural powers. 

Leia Flannigan is a Boston native working under deep cover in Moscow. And she's a telepath, able to read minds while appearing innocuous and ordinary. When she learns about Medusa's head, her confidence is shaken and she's plunged into a mystical adventure she never would have guessed was possible. 

Psychic spy meets supernatural soldier, as mind-reader and immortal must work together to keep the Cold War at a stalemate and deprive the Soviets of a mythical weapon of immense power. 

Or at least that's the plan... it's still a work in progress. While I do outline, things often come up as I write that greatly change my plans... 

Feel free to leave us all links to your books or website or blog etc. whatever you wish.

People can learn more about the Stone Soldiers and Shadow Detachment at www.ShadowDetachment.com.  If anyone is interested in the latest news for either series, or the upcoming spinoff series Shadow Raiders, check out the blog at StoneSoldiersbooks.blogspot.com

If anyone would like to skip all that and just check out the books themselves, visit my Amazon Author page at: http://amzn.com/B0089W99VC

I rarely post at Twitter, @Troglodad. I also lurk on Facebook, facebook.com/CEMartin.Author and when the urge hits me, I ramble or rant about all sorts of stuff on my Author blog, www.Troglodad.info

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Ralph's Rants Interviews Author Gordon Dymowski

Gordon Dymowski interview

Welcome to Ralph’s rants. Today we have Gordon Dymowski joining us, hello and how are you, Gordon?

Pretty good – really looking forward to talking!

Glad to hear it then, let’s get right into it, why don’t you tell my readers a little bit about yourself?

            By day, I’m a freelance marketing consultant for nonprofits, social enterprise, and small businesses. I also write for I Hear of Sherlock (a Sherlock Holmes blog) and Chicago Now.  Co-host the Zone 4 podcast, run a Doctor Who Meetup group, and…well, basically try to avoid being a “real” adult, whatever that is.

How many pieces (Stories, Novels etc.,) have you had published?

            For Airship 27, I’ve been published in Legends of New Pulp (‘Pather) and Black Bat Mystery Volume 3 (The Magnificent Anderson). For Pro Se Productions, my stories have appeared in Tall Pulp (Crossing McCausland) and Moose & Skwirl (All Roads Lead to Rome). And I’ve had one story published in Space Buggy Press’ Dreamers Syndrome: New World Navigation (When Angels Fall), and got my start in the Les Vamps anthology (Out There In the Night).

What genre do you write in? Adventure fiction or new pulp as it is commonly known?

I would definitely consider myself a “New Pulp” writer, and my focus is on more mystery/thriller oriented writing.

What is your favorite published piece that you have out there?

In all honesty, “When Angels Fall” (Dreamer’s Syndrome: New World Navigation) is the one I’m proudest of….and not just because it was nominated for a Pulp Factory Award.

It’s a private eye tale, and I love detective stories. It’s where Lovecraft, Chandler, and John Milton have a massive jam session. Plus, there’s a heroin addict turned cartoon bear.

(And for those of you reading….that last statement makes perfect sense once you’ve read the story)

But it’s the first story where I felt I found my “voice”, to use a writer’s cliché – it was the first time that a story came out the way it sounded in my head.

What authors inspire you to write?

When I was a child, two series made me want to write: Bantam’s Doc Savage reprints…and The Three Investigators. (Hey, don’t scoff – early books featured Alfred Hitchcock as a lead character, and those were as close to pulp as a ten year old could get in those days. Mock me at your peril!)

In my college days, I was inspired by Raymond Chandler, Mickey Spillane and Robert B. Parker. In fact, their styles seemed easy to emulate, so I tried writing like them.

As a result, I acquired a large collection of rejection slips. Their style of writing isn’t that easy, which is why it’s so good. But they were the guys who struck some chord that made me think, “Yeah, I can do this.”

Keeping with the same train of thought, who are the biggest influences on your writing?

Do you have a few hours? Let’s see…..Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels. Chandler. Sara Paretsky. Mickey Spillane. Jim Thompson. James Robinson’s Starman. Matt Wagner’s Sandman Mystery Theater. Charles Beaumont. Elmore Leonard.  Piri Thomas’ Down These Mean Streets. Robert Holmes (considered the Doctor Who writer of the classic era). Paul Ernst (especially his Avenger novels). Richard Stark’s Parker novels.  Way, way too many influences to mention….

What era is your favorite to write in?

This may sound like a complete non-sequitur, but Westerns. Wrote a story for a Pro Se anthology (read on for more details), but I really loved the challenge of writing a Western

And the whole World War Two era (mid-1930s to late 1940s) fascinates me – perhaps it was because both of my grandfathers served in that war (my mother’s dad was a medic in the Phillipines, my father’s dad was artillery in Persia), but there’s something about that era that really resonates with me.

Do you have a favorite character to write?

That’s easy: The Black Bat. Loved writing a currently-unpublished comic script, and had a blast writing him for Airship 27. Yes, everyone, Black Bat Mystery Volume 3 features the Black Bat/Orson Welles showdown you were looking for!

OK, so maybe you weren’t, but it’s a darn good story nonetheless.

I’m also eager to revisit two of my own characters: Screenwriter-turned-PI John Brant from Mark Bousquet’s Dreamer’s Syndrome: New World Navigation, and Natan Bodaway, the Martian colony lawman from Legends of New Pulp (‘Pather). In fact, I have a story idea involving Bodaway that’s kind of crazy….but is just so pulp. 

What do you have coming up for release next? Tell us a little about it?

Right now, just finished a short story for Sean Taylor’s It’s Been A Long Time anthology, featuring noir stories inspired by classic songs. I’m also writing a four-issue series for Last Ember Press called The Crimson Badge which – believe it or not – is not a Western…but it is pulp.

What do you have scheduled for release the rest of the year?

Let’s look at what’s in the pipeline: have one story in process for Airship 27. (Trust me, it’s worth not spoiling). For Pro Se, I have stories coming up for Hollywood Detective, Pulpternative, and some other anthologies that I can’t discuss.

(Trust me, it’s good news).

Is there anything else you would like my readers to know about Gordon Dymowski?

Some people often confuse me for Tommy Hancock. One way to tell us apart: Tommy’s much younger...and much slimmer.

Also, please feel free to give my work a try – all of my books feature great stories by some great writers, so you’ll definitely find something worth enjoying!

Gordon, feel free to post links to your blog, your books, your web page etc. Whatever you might like.

Sure – readers can check out my personal blog, Blog THIS, Pal!, at http://blogthispal.blogspot.com. You can check out my writing via Amazon at  http://bit.ly/GdymAuthor, and follow my Facebook author page at http://www.facebook.com/gordonrdymowski. People should check out I Hear of Sherlock (http://www.ihearofsherlock.com) and Chicago Now’s One Cause At A Time (http://www.facebook.com/OneCauseAtATimeCNow). Links to all of these can be found via http://www.gordondymowski.com

Thanks for joining us here today Gordon, it’s been a real pleasure having you here. Take care and have a great day!

You, too – it’s been a blast!

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon

Subscribe to my blog! Click on the link at the top of the right hand column to get my daily rants delivered to your inbox.

Ralph's Rants interviews Author David Noe

David Noe interview

Hello, David and welcome to Ralph’s Rants, how are you tonight?

I’m doing great, Ralph.  Thanks for having me on.  I’m just having a glass of iced tea.  Please excuse the occasional SFX. *SSsssssp!  I appreciate you pronouncing my last name correctly.  Most people say, No, but as you so astutely enunciated, it’s actually, No’-ee.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, David. Where are you from?

I’m from a little town called, Gower, Missouri.  It’s right between Kansas City and Saint Joseph.  I live out on a gravel road, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Well, when I say I live on a gravel road, you have to understand that I actually live in a house that is located NEAR a gravel road.  Otherwise that would be silly.

Are you a full time writer or do you work a day job as well as write?

Yes.  The answer to that would be yes, Ralph.  I write all the time, even when I’m not actually writing.  My brain just won’t stop, even when everybody around me asks really nicely.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t pay the bills, now does it?  Thinking never made anybody any money.  Quite the opposite, really.  I run a mobile home park and manage a water district and own an apartment building and do maintenance at a convalescent center and help on a farm.  I also edit and publish a monthly magazine that’s been running for over twenty years.  Did I mention I also have a wife and kids?  And on Tuesday…

Who have you, or will you publish with? Or are you self-publishing?

Aside from the magazine, I have had several books published.  I’m currently working with Amazing Things Press on a number of projects.  I also have a few comic book scripts coming out for Charlton Neo and Empire Comic Lab, Pix-C and a short story for Airship27 Publications.

David, what genre(s) do you write in?

Ah, the genres!  I love the genres.  I’m actually trying to write in several genres.  It really flexes the old creative muscles.  *SSsssp!  I’ve written short stories, poems (I’m the official poet laureate of Gower), thrillers, speculative fiction, comic book scripts, humor, non fiction (how-to), western, noir, pulp and drips and drabs of others.

How many books or stories do you have out there right now?

Currently, I have a story in Charlton Arrow #3, and hopefully another story coming up in #5.  Mort Todd and I are reviving a little known silver age hero called, The Shape.  I have a wonderful series of books started with Amazing Things Press called, The Trade of the Tricks.  The first installment, The Tricks’ Brand, is out now on Amazon.  All my books are still available on Amazon.  I have a poetry collection called, Scanner Code and a book about how to be a landlord and run a small rental business entitled, Living In Someone Else’s House.  It also has crazy true stories about my encounters over the years.  I have two other books available that were published years ago.  One is a mature readers thriller called, The Notions of Minsa Van Whey.  The other is a short story collection called, Odds and Ends (But Mostly Odds).

What book is your most recent release?

The Trade of the Tricks, the Tricks’ Brand is my most current book, but I’m only weeks away from two or three simultaneous releases.

What is it about?

The Tricks’ Brand is YA speculative fiction based in a world that used to have super powers.  One day 50 years ago, in the midst of a giant battle between all the good guys and all the bad guys, almost everybody just… vanished.  Not only that, but now there can be no more powers anywhere.  There is still the memory of the powers, though, and good guys still dress up to fight bad guys even without the powers.  The good guys soon learned that they need help, an edge, a TRICK to help them set traps or escape or to bring them a sandwich if they’re hungry.  Now there is a prophecy that the powers will all return on the fiftieth anniversary and it will destroy the world.  That day is coming up real soon.

It’s also a comedy!

What can you tell us about the main protagonist?

     

The main character is a fifteen year old boy named Brand.  His grandfather was a sidekick in the big battle fifty years ago, but for some reason didn’t vanish with the others.  Brand is a part time Trick (every other weekend and two weeks in the summer).  He is starting to notice odd things happening.  He’s having weird dreams.  His grandpa is acting strange.  His world seems to be unravelling.  Mostly, though, he’s worried about his first date ever with the sidekick known as the Dartette.

Who is this book aimed at?

I classified it as a young adult novel, but I gotta say, a lot of older adults like it too.  It could also be considered New Adult.  It’s speculative fiction, kind of a blend of sci-fi and contemporary fantasy.  I was fortunate to get an introduction written by Daredevil (and Spookman and Knightingales and Next Man and many others) scribe, Roger McKenzie.  I got some illustrations by Sandy Carruthers, Daerick Gross Sr., Kevin S. Halter, Dana Black and Truman Vasko.  These guys will blow your mind!

How long did it take you to write it?

Oh, the actual writing time for the first draft was only about six weeks.  It’s based on a world I already invented in other books, and of course the rewrites and edits took a while.  I wrote it for 2013 NaNoWriMo.

What kind of research, if any, did you have to do for it?

In a way, I’ve been researching it since 1979.  That’s when I first bought a copy of Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-Man.  I’ve been a panelologist ever since.  The many iterations of comic book worlds have fascinated me for decades.  I also enjoy the rich history and artistry that goes along with it.

Did your main character have to run any type of gauntlet in the story? What did you put him/her through?

There’s an aspect of coming of age in this story, as well as acceptance of responsibility and discovery.  Basically, Brand’s world starts unravelling all at once, and he has to figure out why and survive at the same time.  Friends, family, enemies all change roles.  Even reality and ethics and laws of nature have to be questioned.  Yeah, he gets roughed up a little too.  Fortunately, he’s not alone.  The female lead is with him… if she can be trusted.

What other books do you have coming up this year?

I am SO glad you asked that question, Ralph!  *SSsssp!  I have a short story collection called, Kin and a nearly uncategorizable humor book called, Voices In My Pen.  Also, I have a book that is a flip book.  It’s a western on one side, then you flip the book over and it’s a noir detective novel that ties into the western, and there’s also a comic book in the middle!  I’ll be doing a poetry reading at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art in Kansas City on May 19th, so I hope to have my new poetry collection, New Things Among The Old out by then, too.

      I also have a couple of comic book stories (and maybe a few more) coming up later this year, including an incredible new rendition of ZaZa the Mystic with the amazing Bob Wiacek for Pix-C.

When will they be released?

The short story collections will be out in mere weeks!  The western/noir will hopefully be out by summer.  I’m not sure about the comic stories.  I expect the Charlton Arrow #5 will be in just a couple of months.  The Pix-C series is still in its early stages.  I’d love to come back and talk about that when it is closer to publication!

What are they about?

Oh, man, they are so cool!  Kin is a group of short stories about different aspects of family.  There are funny and sad and poignant stories from many different points of view.  I’m super psyched about Voices In My Pen.  Imagine Mad Magazine in book form.  Artist, Kevin S. Halter does a perfect Don Martin impression with the cover and interior illustrations.  He’s incredible.  It’s absolutely wack-a-doodle, Ralph!  I had SO much fun writing this book that I could go on and on about it for at least half a sentence more.  The western is called, Alabaster Kid, Beneath the Veil.  It’s about a bounty hunter who also has a form of albanism that makes him burn easily in the sun.  He has to wrap himself in rags to protect himself… and to hide himself.  He has other deformities that make him look rather demonic, but his senses are heightened.  On the flip side, the noir detective is, Slipknot and the Golden Claw.  Slipknot is a violent, somewhat unhinged detective who wears a noose instead of a necktie.  When he puts on his domino mask he becomes Slipknot, and that isn’t always a good thing.  In the middle of the stories is a Tricks comic book in the old west.  It leads directly into a new Tricks book that I hope to have out next year.  The covers and the comic art are all done by the incredible, Daerick Gross Sr. (Knightingales).  To say he is a talented artist would be… well, it would be absolutely correct, Ralph.  The poetry book will be poems that each tell a story and invent fantastic tales.

The Shape comic is very special.  We got permission from the owner of the character to revive a funny hero created by Grass Green in the late sixties.  The Shape is like a cross between Plastic Man and the Impossible Man.  Mort Todd’s art is perfect for the type of story this is.  It’s light hearted and funny.  In tone it’s similar to the story I’m doing for Empire Comics Lab, Barry Baxion, Man of ACTION!  I’m not sure when that will be out.  ZaZa is a Charlton Comics character from the fifties that Bob and I are reviving in a grand universe spanning adventure!

What is your favorite type of story to tell?

Obviously it is heavy handed big picture period dramas, Ralph.  I think the Brother’s Karamazov is just too light hearted, and War and Peace could have been drawn out a little more.  *SSsssp!

Okay, maybe lighter fare and humor is more my go to area.  I admire the works of Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde, but also that of Roger McKenzie, Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman (and many others).  Give me an interesting character and I’ll be content to watch him or her eat a sandwich or drink some tea.  There are times when the story takes second place to the telling of the story.  Actually, that may be more often than not.  Perhaps that is why my genres are all over the place.  It’s not the story so much as the telling of the story that interests me.  Am I repeating myself?  Am I repeating myself?  *SSSssspp!  AH!

David, Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. Feel free to leave whatever links you may have to your website or direct links to your books. Thanks for joining us here on Ralph’s Rants and best of luck with all your endeavors.

Thank you for having me on your rant, Ralph.  Let’s do this again sometime.  Maybe I could do some tricks.  Do you sing?  We could do a duet.  I can’t dance.  Don’t even ask me.

Here is my author’s page on facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/tradeofthetricks/

            Here is my page for my magazine (TYPO Magazine!)

https://www.facebook.com/typomagazine1/

            Here is my Amazon author’s page.  You can get all my books from here!

http://www.amazon.com/David-Noe/e/B00YNQZVAQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

            Here is my website

http://authordavidnoe.weebly.com

As always all of my own books are available at http://RLAngeloJr.com or http://tinyurl.com/ralphsamazon2