It’s
been a long dry spell for Zelmer Pulp, but after several trips to rehab and one
custodial sentence we’re back with new blood, fresh ideas and clean underwear.
MAYBE I SHOULD JUST SHOOT YOU IN THE FACE is our first collective venture into the
dark, gritty world of noir. For the ZP team that meant they were going home and
it shows. This issue features stories from all the regular ZP offenders,
including new fish, Benoit LeLievre and Gareth Spark. In an attempt to make us more attractive to woman we
have added New Jersey Noir photographer Mark Krajnak to the ZP roster. His
stunning photography appears throughout the book. We are also delighted to have
our old pal and father of Brit Grit Paul D. Brazill along for this ride.
The
Tesla version is available right now for your electronic trickery at the princely
sum of just 99 cents and a dead tree version will be arriving just as soon as
we have slashed and burned enough rainforest. Check out this doozy of a trailer
and then go buy the thing. You won’t regret it. Well, you might, but by then I’ll
be like 3 cent’s richer and probably living in some offshore tax haven. Hammer down!
You’ll
have to excuse the tumbleweeds blowing around this place of late. It’s been a crazy
few weeks here in the Leek household. In between running around the country
with the day job, Georgie and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. I ain’t nobody’s bargain and putting up with
me for that length of time is no mean achievement on her part. The following weekend our Katie turned 21. Both of these events
resulted in me getting slightly drunk and a little sentimental, but I figure I
was probably entitled. We also had a real scare when my niece, Marina had to undergo
emergency surgery. Thankfully she is fine now and recovering well.
While
all of this was going on in the real world I have been burning the midnight oil
in an attempt not to blow a DEMONIC VISIONS deadline and trying to keep on top of
all the other stuff that goes along with having three books drop in the space of
a week.
THE BIG ADIOS western digest, which I edit with head honcho, Ron Phillips and deputy
dawg, Ryan Sayles made the leap from webzine to quarterly print and e-book. The
debut issue features killer stories from the likes of Tom Pitts, Jim Wilsky,
Aidan Thorn and ZP’s own Gareth Spark.
Hot
on the heels of TBA was another debut, this time in the form of Craig McNeely’s
DARK CORNERS. Weighing in at nearly 300 pages this pulp spectacular has reviews,
interviews and some really great fiction. I have a western in this inaugural
issue, which lines up alongside crime, noir and sci-fi in a glorious smorgasbord
of pulp and genre fiction. ZP are well represented here too with both Chuck
Regan and Ryan Sayles in the mix. Craig and his team have produced a hell of a
magazine. Seriously, you should buy it.
Finally,
this week saw the much anticipated (at least by me) release of my western
novella GOSPEL OF THE BULLET. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, but I
can tell you how grateful I am to Ron Phillips and ONE EYE PRESS for publishing
it. A big shout also has to go out to my uber-talented ZP brother, Chuck Regan for
creating the gorgeous cover. The initial reaction to GOSPEL has been universally
positive and also little overwhelming. If
you have dropped your dime on it already then thank you, I hope you dig it.
The
next few weeks should see a return to calmer waters, as another Chris once said, it’s been emotional.
