The Adventures of Zana O'Savin

It might cost me a stamp on my Pulp card, but I must confess I have yet to 'get the hang' of Doc Savage. I find the original stories (I have read to date) to be too clunky. Yes, Dent pours on the action but it's obvious he's thinking action first, explanations later. And I never find the explanations satisfactory.

Though, I do find the concept and setup as having potential. The team. The Empire State building headquarters. The Fortress of Solitude.

Perhaps, if I'd read some of those tales (and saw those Bama 1960s covers!) as a boy, I might not be so critical. But coming in cold as an adult--they just don't work for me.

There are many Doc Savage pastiches out there. I do wonder if any of them might make things gel better.

Enter Craig McDonald's THE ADVENTURES OF ZANA O'SAVIN.

These are different. As much as they have all the pastiche characters, it's hard to refer to these as pastiche.  McDonald has infused this series with a fantasy element that makes it all work. You see, Doc O'Savin is a tulpa--a being manifested from pure thought and will. Created by Lester Dent's own intensity and belief in his own fiction.

This gives McDonald the springboard to weave the team through historical events, provide pulpy action, and give it all depth. I just finished the third entry, THE DEATH KILLERS, and it's a doozy torn from today's headlines.

This is a neat series. Recommended.

HOUR OF THE ROBOT anniversary!

 

Happy one year anniversary to my first published novel,

HOUR OF THE ROBOT!

The Adventures of Doc Atlas

 

The Adventures of Doc Atlas, Volume 1 

by Michael A. Black & Raymond Louis Lovato

Airship 27 Productions have just (re-)released the initial adventures of Doc Atlas. Their plan is now to move forward with new volumes of new stories.

The cover art pretty much tells you what you're getting. Doc Atlas is a Doc Savage pastiche that doesn't stray far from its roots.

I guess you can consider that Doc Atlas is to Doc Savage as Solar Pons is to Sherlock Holmes.

Atlas is the next generation, adventuring after World War II (these three novellas take place in 1947.) Atlas and his team are headquartered in the Empire State building, just like his predecessor. The team is more streamlined, featuring Ace Assante as an analogous Ham, and Mad Dog Deagan as the analogous Monk. Unlike the stoic Doc Savage, Atlas also has a girlfriend, Penny Cartier.

Another difference is that Atlas and team will kill the bad guys when the danger heats up. No mercy bullets or brain operations to rehabilitate criminals here.

In this volume they take on temple robbers in Mexico, investigate strange airplane crashes in Roswell, and investigate the rise of a new threat in Brazil.

Doc Atlas is a fun pastiche of Doc Savage.

Looking forward to more!

Blood on the Blade, anthology coming in November!

Via Flinch Books' Facebook page;

This November, Flinch Books unleashes an all new pulp fiction anthology on an unsuspecting world, their first fantastic foray into the realm of Sword & Sorcery!

BLOOD ON THE BLADE boasts of ten tales of slashing swords and sinister sorcery brought to you by master pulp scribes Cliff Biggers, Adrian Cole, Anne Marie Lutz, Paul R. McNamee, James A. Moore, Dave Ritzlin, Charles R Rutledge, Frank Schildiner, Steven L. Shrewsbury, and James Ray Tuck Jr. It’s a feast of fantasy you won’t soon forget!

Conceived and edited by Jim Beard and John Bruening. Cover by Mark Wheatley.

My tale features my stalwart heroes of spear and spirit, Lono & Makani, once again riding the ocean waves of adventure.

recent read; THE CHAINS OF ARES by Frank Schildiner

Frank Schildiner has created a unique character with Marcus Fabius Maximus and his occult adventures in ancient Rome. The historical setting is full of touches that elicit veracity. The club & sword slinging Germanic gladiatrix Kara adds an element of sword-&-sorcery as the duo take on mythic monsters and navigate the turbulent waters of Roman politics.

So, are these stories historical dark fantasy? Occult detective? Sword-&-sorcery?

YES!

Highly recommended! (and looking forward to more of these and other tales from the Schildiner's Worlds!)

ways to purchase HOUR OF THE ROBOT

 HOUR OF THE ROBOT

From their nerve center penthouse lair, the Robot supports the extraterrestrial superhero of the shining city of Pallas, the Alien. When a train disaster reveals an arms-smuggling operation, the Alien decides it is time for the Robot to join him in the field.

On the other end of the pipeline, in the city of Crowsport, resident vigilante crimefighters, the Protector and his sidekick, the Understudy, are closing in on a local gang boss.

Following the leads of their separate investigations, the Alien and the Protector—with the Robot and the Understudy in tow—serendipitously meet. But when their joint operation is broken, the Robot must step out into the world and work with the crimefighters to bring the suspects to justice.

But are there more dangerous forces at work than they realize?

Amazon (US)  Amazon (UK)

Barnes & Noble 

Smashwords 

Kobo 

Google Play

 In addition, I have print copies for sale from me, personally. Glad to sign (simple) or sign custom to a person. I would rather not drop my email here. Please contact me through social media messaging of your choice to arrange payment and shipping.

Twitter @pmcnamee67
Instagram @pmcnamee67
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/paul.mcnamee

(please note my Facebook page is semi-personal but if it is your preferred option, that's fine.)

Thank you!

Free Comic Book Day 2021

I will be at Counterplay Comics, Burlington MA, on Saturday, August 14th for Free Comic Book Day 2021!

 

I will have copies of HOUR OF THE ROBOT for sale & signing.

 

You might see cosplayers and artists, too.

 

Come on over if you're around!

HOUR OF THE ROBOT, reviews, requests, and discussion

 

If you've purchased HOUR OF THE ROBOT, I thank you. If you've read it and left an online review, I also thank you. I know, the 'new' paradigm of reviewing books can be tedious at times. Sometimes it burns me out, too. But, if you've read HOUR OF THE ROBOT and enjoyed it, please consider dropping a quick review on Amazon or goodreads. Just a rating and a few sentences or a paragraph would be great. (I think long reviews on blogs are fine but I don't think they help when combined with other reviews on shopping/rating sites.)

Speaking of reviews, I received a truly wonderful and inspiring review from Ron Fortier, over at Pulp Fiction Reviews. In part;

McNamee clearly spins his tale from the iconic comic book mythos of the twentieth century. ...

“Hour of the Robot” is a terrific first novel and a fun read.  McNamee’s prose is succinct in its brevity detailing the action clearly throughout without wasting so much as a single word. He tells you his story without fancy trappings while at the same time drawing forth really wonderful personalities from his cast of characters. Though based on all too familiar themes, “Hour of the Robot” is really something fresh and exciting and a bravo first novel of a very skillful storyteller.  Honestly, we want more. Lots more.

As part of HOUR OF THE ROBOT promotion, I've been invited by author Dana Cameron to join her and other writers (John Goodrich, Errick Nunnally, and Zin E. Rocklyn) to discuss writing and our recent books. You can view the interview live on Dana's Author Facebook page, Wednesday, July 28th, at 7:30PM EST.

Join us!

If you can't watch live, it will be recorded and posted out to YouTube later.

HOUR OF THE ROBOT release day is here!

The HOUR OF THE ROBOT is upon us! If you already pre-ordered, I thank you!

From their nerve center penthouse lair, the Robot supports the extraterrestrial superhero of the shining city of Pallas, the Alien. When a train disaster reveals an arms-smuggling operation, the Alien decides it is time for the Robot to join him in the field.

On the other end of the pipeline, in the city of Crowsport, resident vigilante crimefighters, the Protector and his sidekick, the Understudy, are closing in on a local gang boss.

Following the leads of their separate investigations, the Alien and the Protector—with the Robot and the Understudy in tow—serendipitously meet. But when their joint operation is broken, the Robot must step out into the world and work with the crimefighters to bring the suspects to justice.

But are there more dangerous forces at work than they realize?

Amazon https://amazon.com/dp/B08ZK6DJYJ 

B&N https://barnesandnoble.com/w/hour-of-the-robot-paul-r-mcnamee/1139078420

Smashwords https://smashwords.com/books/view/1075507

Kobo https://kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hour-of-the-robot

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=p8skEAAAQBAJ

The HOUR OF THE ROBOT is nearly here! (and t.v. interview)

In another week, HOUR OF THE ROBOT will be released! If you've pre-ordered, I thank you. If you're waiting for the official release, that's fine, too!

As a promotional kickoff (beyond social media,) I was interviewed on a local cable access television show. We discuss the book, as well as the writing, editing, and publishing process. (Disclaimer: My wife was my interviewer. It's her local town talk show!) You can watch the episode here:

Thanks for all the support so far! Feel free to share and retweet and email and get the word out. (Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to the same audience, which is great, but selling books means spreading out beyond the usual circles. THANK YOU!)
 

links;

Amazon (US) (Kindle & Print) https://amazon.com/dp/B08ZK6DJYJ 

B&N (Nook & Print) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hour-of-the-robot-paul-r-mcnamee/1139078420

Smashwords https://smashwords.com/books/view/1075507

Kobo https://kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hour-of-the-robot

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=p8skEAAAQBAJ

The passing of a giant. RIP Derrick Ferguson

Derrick Ferguson passed away on April 4th 2021. I cannot claim to be anywhere near as close to him as his many friends and writing collaborators over the years but I felt like I should add to the tributes. And there are many. Just take a look at his Facebook page (unfortunately, many of them are set at 'friend' viewing only but there are still a lot of public posts and links to blog posts.)

I'd only gotten to know Derrick in the past few years. He was a huge mover, motivator, and founder of the New Pulp movement. I read a Dillon short story in BLACK PULP and then read THE VRIL AGENDA and friended him on Facebook. He wasn't just a giant of New Pulp, he was a gregarious giant of a man.

His 100 NEW PULP BOOKS TO GET YOU STARTED is an invaluable resource to help a newbie get their feet wet in the New Pulp movement. When I came in, the list was 50. Then in just the past few years, he bumped it from 50 to 75 to 100, often by going on recommendations from others, not just himself. I was honored he took my suggested additions on faith.

He read a short story of mine in STORYHACK #5 and lauded it. That meant a lot, as I was shifting into New Pulp writing, a new thing for me, having dabbled in some horror and weird up until then.

My favorite, and sadly only, collaboration story; Derrick put out a call for stories for DILLON: THE ODD JOBS 2. The concept being that Derrick would take contributions from other authors to write tales of Dillon or other Dillon-verse characters. I'd missed out on the first ODD JOBS. I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass.

I'd been trying to write a novella featuring my jungle hero, the Puma. I kept getting stuck on plotting. When the ODD JOBS 2 chance came, I asked Derrick if it would be all right if I tried a crossover, using Dillon. I wasn't sure two alpha males in the jungle pulp story would work but I wanted to try. Derrick gave me the go ahead.

I took a little longer than I wanted, but I sent him the novella in January. His first reply to me was that he had more to say, but upfront, he liked it and it reminded him of the Mike Henry Tarzan movies. I replied that was exactly what I'd been aiming for.

Imagine my surprise when next I heard about my story, Derrick was lauding it as a preview on his Facebook Dillon discussion group. Not only that, but he said,

I've just finished reading Paul McNamee's story for DILLON: THE ODD JOBS II and it was even more fun reading it the second time around as the first time I read it I had a feeling about what Paul was doing in this story and was delighted when he confirmed my hunch.
I'm not going to say much more about his story--which not only has the expected non-stop action a Dillon story is expected to have, but [also] some interesting observations about the deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon rain forest--except for this:
If you're as much of a fan of the Mike Henry Tarzan movies as I am (especially "Tarzan and The Valley of Gold") then you're going to totally love Paul's story because that's exactly what he's done: dropped Dillon right into the action-packed middle of a Mike Henry Tarzan movie

Later, I revealed to Derrick an Easter egg joke I'd really wanted to include in the story but never found the right spot. He replied, "LMAO! I would have fallen out of my chair if that had been in there!"

If there's one thing I take away from Derrick's writing presence it is that sense of absolute fun he was having. He reminded us all that you should have as much fun writing it as reading it--at least when it comes to pulp action adventure.

I wish I'd gotten to know him sooner and better. Life is too short. Time passes much too quickly these days.

Grab some of his books, read in his honor. I guarantee you will have fun and you won't be bored.

RIP, you giant of a wonderful human being. You are and will be sorely missed, Derrick Ferguson.

more HOUR OF THE ROBOT news

Yes, I know the book won't be available until July 6th, but ramp up on pre-orders and reviews is supposed to help sales later.

And I'm bound to keep reminding the world between now and then.

For now, though, the latest updates:

The paperback edition is now also available for pre-order at Amazon.

Also, the ebook has gone up for review preview at NetGalley. If anyone out there is part of that program, we can use the review love!  Thanks!

recent read; Derrick Ferguson WILL WRITE FOR FOOD

 WILL WRITE FOR FOOD: The Freelance Stories of Derrick Ferguson

Derrick Ferguson has rapidly become one of my favorite writers since I discovered New Pulp and his body of work. He can always spin an unpretentious fun tale that will keep the reader entertained. His Doc Savage/James Bond/international adventurer extraordinaire, Dillon, put him on the map, but rest assured Derrick can write anything that gets thrown at him.

WILL WRITE FOR FOOD is a collection of his non-Dillon work, and for the ebook price of admission, you really shouldn't miss out.

Stories of G-men, 1930s Pacific island adventurers, crime tales, a fantastical voyage of Sinbad the sailor, a superhero throw down, and Old West stories of Bass Reeves.

Put this collection on your list!

HOUR OF THE ROBOT available for pre-order

My new novel--which is also my debut novel-- from Crossroad Press is now available for ebook pre-order. Yes, there will also be a print edition when the book is released.

Click here for the announcement (along with other books coming.)

If you prefer other ebook platforms, here is the list;

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZK6DJYJ

B&N

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hour-of-the-robot-paul-r-mcnamee/1139078420

Smashwords (will feed Apple, Overdrive, and some small sites)

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1075507

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=p8skEAAAQBAJ

Should also reach Kobo, if it hasn't already.

recent read; Barry Reese's LAZARUS GRAY

Not so much a review as just to let you know I've started digging into Barry Reese's Lazarus Gray series. I'm enjoying the heck out of it. If you want classic pulp adventure with that New Pulp feel, you need to start on this series.

I've been listening to audiobooks but the first three volumes are also available as a super-inexpensive omnibus ebook. Just $1!

recent reads; two from Airship 27

Bulldog Drummond: Disaster Zones by I.A. Watson

I.A. Watson has done a great job bringing Bulldog Drummond into the 21st century. This time around we get three novellas, where Bulldog battles neo-Nazis, faces off against an African warlord, and fights his way through baddies and a hurricane in the Caribbean. The action never lets up. Pure pulp action! I look forward to more new tales of Bulldog Drummond! 

 

All-American Sports Stories, Volume 2

Derrick Ferguson's "Brooklyn Beatdown" leads off this anthology of three sports novellas.  A story of boxing, and crime. The tale is a perfect mix of bare-knuckle brawling and lively characters.

The second tale is a baseball story. I wasn't very vested in that one, sorry to say. Not because of the baseball subject matter. The story didn't have enough action for me. It felt more like reading a newspaper's season-long-run sports story than a fiction tale.

Ron Fortier closes out the volume with a poignant football tale about a returning disabled Vietnam veteran who must figure out where his life will lead.

"Brooklyn Beatdown" was resurrected from a stand-alone edition (under the FIGHT CARD series) and is worth the price of admission. Highly recommended for that story alone.

recent read; DILLON Annual Collection 2018

DILLON Annual Collection 2018 by Derrick Ferguson

Continuing my foray into New Pulp, this DILLON Annual Collection 2018 has a spot on Derrick Ferguson's 100 New Pulp Books To Get You Started. What's that? You ask when happened the 25, the 50, the 75? Well, it was always Derrick's goal to create a list of 100 titles. Well worth your time to keep it handy. Pick a title now & then as part of your reading mix!

Back to the collection. Not only do we get a round up of DILLON novellas and short stories, this collection also includes the complete novel, DILLON AND THE PIRATES OF XONIRA, so it's a deal, especially at ebook prices.

Among the mix you'll find; a kidnapped movie star, lost artifacts, action, pirates, submarines, trains, intrigue & betrayals, showdowns with foes and friends, and a coveted bad ass belt buckle!

DILLON stories are very much action movies in prose form, and if you enjoy those flicks, any kind from the 1960s through today, you'll have a blast going along with Ferguson and Dillon on this collected joyride.

recent read; VEGAS HEIST by Van Allen Plexico

VEGAS HEIST by Van Allen Plexico

It's the Holiday Season of 1965 and the fabulous Caesars Palace Resort and Casino is about to open in Las Vegas. And the vault is filled to bursting with cash. 

John Harper and Saul "Salsa" Salzman roll into town with inside information: A secret way into the casino, leading right to the vault itself. 

Putting together a small but highly skilled team, they make their move, aiming for untold riches. 

But jobs like this never go as planned. 

A beautiful widow, a jealous enforcer and a murderous rival casino owner all want a piece of the pie. 

Before New Year's Day arrives, Harper and Salsa will be lucky to escape Sin City with their lives!

The cover tease is exactly what you get. Reading VEGAS HEIST is like watching a crime-caper right out of 1960s cinema. It's easy to see why this novel won the Pulp Factory Awards Novel of the Year, 2019.

In an interview I heard recently, author Van Allen Plexico described the novel as 'Donald Westlake meets OCEAN'S ELEVEN.' That description is spot on. Harper is clearly influenced by Westlake's Parker. Though, VEGAS HEIST tends more toward Westlake whimsy than the ruthless aura of Westlake's Richard Stark pen name tales of Parker.

VEGAS HEIST could be dropped right into the Hard Case Crime line without missing a beat.

The narration of the audiobook by Pete Milan is stellar. So good, in fact, that Van Allen Plexico stated on Twitter that those are now the voices he hears as he is writing the sequel, MIAMI HEIST.

You can place your bets I'll be all over that sequel when it it released.

recent read; Bulldog Drummond: On Poisoned Ground

Bulldog Drummond: On Poison Ground by I.A. Watson

Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is ex-SAS with a problem--he's easily bored. Civilian life holds nothing interesting for him. He places ads for excitement. Once he's sifted through the dross, he finds himself pulled into an international plot set on destroying Great Britain as a world power. Only Bulldog and his team of former comrades-in-arms can save the day, weaving between the law and the villains.

I.A. Watson brings us a modern Drummond. This novel is as high-octane as any action movie out there today. The novel is wall-to-wall action, does not let up, and leaves you breathless. There is also intrigue, and a plot that twists around like a motorcycle chase on a switchback.

Watson captures the core of "Bulldog" - his tenacity, more than anything, drives him to see a job finished until the bitter end.

If you like pulp, new pulp, action thrillers, James Bond, etc., you'll be right at home with Bulldog. After all, he inspired of many of those action hero creations. Bulldog Drummond was there first, and now he is back!

This revamp impressed me enough that I went back and started to read the first original Bulldog Drummond novel. I'm even more impressed, now. Not that the novel (so far) is terrible, but the overarching plot--financial destruction and destitution of Great Britain--and some of the villainous characters are the same. Watson truly delivered a reboot, not only using Drummond and team, but tapping the first novel to bring into the 21st century action milieu.

Hats off the I.A. Watson and the team at Airship 27! If you want to understand why they chose Drummond, and why they chose to update him for the 21st century, give this bit of podcast a listen/watch. I'm starting the link at 16:55. The Drummond discussion goes until 22:25.

 Airship 27 #59: 2019 in Review

recent read; Sinbad, The New Voyages (Vol. 1)

Sinbad - The New Voyages (Volume One)

I like what Ron Fortier and Rob Davis produce over at Airship 27. I've enjoyed what I've read (listened to) and they have many more titles intriguing me.

Inspired by the Ray Harryhausen SINBAD movies, they have arranged a new set of adventures for Sinbad and set him loose on the world, again. Sinbad sails the Seven Seas with a core international crew--first mate, Omar; a Gaul archer, Henri; a hulking Viking, Ralf; and even a woman samurai, Tishimi.

This volume contains three rousing novellas by Nancy Hansen, I. A. Watson, and Derrick Ferguson. Rest assured this is a cinematic, pulp Sinbad--though echoes of the original classic tales still remain.

I'd even argue these are sword-&-sorcery tales. Yes, they have a bit more levity which might impress a feeling of "(high) fantasy" but Sinbad is a rogue. While loyal to his crew and friends, he's often out for himself--seeking new lands to explore and searching for treasure.

I enjoyed these stories, and I'll be getting to the other volumes in the near future.