Get ready for Thrills, Kills, ‘n Chaos

Thrillers, Killers & Chillers is sadly no more. Matt Hilton announced on the site yesterday that they are closing their doors for good. TK&C was a great place to visit for a hit of high quality crime or horror fiction. I was fortunate enough to have my story “Jacks, Queens and Evens” published there last year and from a writers point of view TK&C was a site with rock solid reputation and a great place to showcase your work.   

But fear naught, David Barber - the former editor at The Flash Fiction Offensive and more recently an editor at TK&C - has grasped the bull by the horns and will shortly be opening his new site, Thrills, Kills, ‘n Chaos up for submissions.  David will be looking for the same sort of hard hitting fiction, but this time it needs to be leaner and meaner.

So check out the new site and if you’re a writer get writing. Readers hold fast for now, but prepare for a real blast.  

Video Killed the Radio Star- A Zelmer Pulp Trailer

Thanks to the awesome Nick Laws for all his hard work in putting this sucker together. And thanks to all the good people who have already purchased Hey, That Robot Ate My Baby! Assuming it exists, your place in heaven is now a shoo-in. As for the rest of you lazy, feckless no-goods it's not too late, there is still time to save your souls from eternal damnation.

ZELMER PULP – Hey, That Robot Ate My Baby!

I’ll admit it, I’m excited. The past three months have been a roller coaster ride of tears, laughter, uncontrollable flatulence and Aquaman jokes. The end result is the new release from Zelmer Pulp “Hey, That Robot Ate My Baby!”

Like Han Solo said, “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.” And if it’s a stone cold blast of Pulp Sci-Fi that you’re after then check this out.

The madmen that brought you 2012's legendary zombie epic, C'MON AND DO THE APOCALYPSE VOL 1, are back in your face for the second wave, and this time they brought friends.

Joining Sayles and Panowich on their latest voyage into the world of Science Fiction are three of the hottest writers of genre fiction in the biz, Chris Leek, Isaac Kirkman, and ZELMER PULP cover artist Chuck Regan.

HEY,THAT ROBOT ATE MY BABY VOL. 1 features 5 distinct voices, and 5 mind-bending tales to astonish and offend.

Notice that part about offending? Well, that’s largely down to me, I left the astonishing to the other guys. We are all damn proud of the interstellar magnificence that lurks behind an amazing cover crafted by Zelmer’s own Chuck Regan. We also have a kick-ass introduction written by friend, mentor and President of the Universe, Joe Clifford.

The Kindle version is hot to trot right now and old school print style will be here in around a week. Please buy it and make a happy man very old. 10c from every book purchased will be donated to the Kansas City shelter for sexually abused emus*

Amazon US

Amazon UK

*This is a lie

2013 Spinetingler Awards

The nominations for this year's Spinetingler awards are out. This is the red carpet event for those of us who ply our trade in the murky depths of pulp crime fiction and noir.
I’m delighted to see that my good friend and Zelmer Pulp cohort Brian Panowich is up for Best Short Story on the Web with his double barrelled blast of Georgia noir “If I ever get off this mountain / Coming down the mountain.“

These two stories were published simultaneously by Shotgun Honey and The Flash Fiction Offensive and they tell the tale of a back country blood feud from the perspective of two different protagonists. Not only is this a damn clever idea that I wish I had thought of first, but the quality of the writing is exceptional. Don’t just take my word for it, go and read them for yourself.

This year is a good one for natives of Georgia as the brilliant debut novel from Peter Farris “Last Call for the Living” is also up for an award in the Best Novel: New Voice category.

Congratulations to all the other nominees. We are truly blessed with a wealth of talent in the world of crime fiction.  You can see all of the categories and cast your votes HERE

Smell The Glove

Surprisingly this post is not a thinly veiled homage to those fictional rockers, Spinal Tap, but a heads up on the new anthology from NTTK. Gloves Off features more awesomeness than you can shake a stick at. Anything with stories from the likes of: Tom Pitts, Jim Spry, Gareth Spark, Mike Monson and Paul D Brazill just has to be worth your time and your money.

 If that isn’t a big enough incentive, Gloves Off also includes a rock solid spine of stories from three Zelmer Pulp originals. Brian Panowich nails it like a $20 hooker with his bad ass tale, Somebody’s Daughter and Ryan Sayles grabs hold and doesn't let go with Squeezing. My small part in this tapestry of talent is some backwoods blood letting in Brothers Under The Bridge. It’s a story about kin and the price one man has to pay when he honors the debt owed by his dead father. If all that sounds a little too deep and meaningful, think of it more in terms of a shotgun shootout, followed by a killer car chase. There, is that better?

I guess, all I’m trying to say here is if you drop a couple of bucks into the old Amazon jukebox you can get yourself a kick ass anthology for less than the price of a skinny latte. Seriously, what more could you want?  Near To The Knuckle Presents: Gloves Off

The gloves are coming of at NTTK

Here is a sneaky peak at the cover for the new Near to the Knuckle anthology, Gloves Off designed by Steven Miscandlon. This little beauty is edited by Daz Sant & Craig Douglas and is full of bad-ass ballads from top crime writers such as: Paul D Brazill, Gareth Spark, Tom Pitts, Jim Spry and Mike Monson.

You will also find three kick ass stories from the Zelmer Pulp team with Brian Panowich, Ryan Sayles and yours truly getting in on the act.

The release date is still to be advised, but it won't be long now.

Tucson Noir

If you are in the Tucson area on Saturday 23 March, then get along to Mostly Books for a short sharp shot of noir from four of the best in the business.

My Zelmer Pulp brother, the incredibly talented Isaac Kirkman will be joined by top Tucson authors CS DeWildt, Bill Baber and Los Angeles' own Rich Osburn for an afternoon of short crime fiction readings.

I know all of these guys and I can thoroughly recommend their work. This is one of those times when I really wish I wasn’t stuck on the other side of the ocean.  

Mostly Books, 6208 E Speedway, Tucson, Arizona 85712. Tel: 520-571-0110