Lon T. Williams followed Robert E. Howard in writing weird westerns. Rather obscure, he was first republished by Larry Estep at pulpgen.com (which has now vanished into the aether). Williams’ stories of deputy sheriff Lee Winters, most of which appeared in Real Western Stories, are formulaic, with the hero encountering weirdness as he returns from… Continue reading Lon T. Williams : Weird writings of a Law Clerk
Author: Sai S
Elliott W. Michener: From Criminal to Author and Gardener
For nearly 30 years, Alcatraz was THE prison, the one no one escaped from. Al Capone was held there, as were Machine Gun Kelly, Mickey Cohen and other prominent gangsters. A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts, two men trying twice. 23 were caught alive, six were shot and killed during their escape,… Continue reading Elliott W. Michener: From Criminal to Author and Gardener
Art of the Sale: The taxing business of illustration
In 1937, the City of New York tried to bring art into the ambit of the sales tax that had been passed three years earlier. Only to find out artists can be talented in more than one domain. From the La Grande Observer, Oregon, May 05, 1937 Artists Up In Arms Because Of The Sales… Continue reading Art of the Sale: The taxing business of illustration
Tricks of the trade: The Bargain Counter, Ace-High, May 1926
Most pulp magazines had regular letter columns and editorial departments. Ace-High, Clayton’s first pulp, offered The Bargain Counter, a department for people to exchange or trade items. It was quite popular, and if someone were to index it, would offer quite the look at pulp readership. I recently read the May 3, 1926 of Ace-High,… Continue reading Tricks of the trade: The Bargain Counter, Ace-High, May 1926
Explore Australia with Arthur Upfield’s Boney, the First Australian Detective
In 1929, British-born Australian Arthur Upfield(1890-1964) wrote and published his second book, The Barrakee Mystery. Published first in England by Hutchinson, the book was originally written in the 1920s, when Upfield was working as a cook in the Australian Outback. Twice rewritten and substantially altered, the book had good reviews in London, Manchester and in… Continue reading Explore Australia with Arthur Upfield’s Boney, the First Australian Detective
The Female of the Species: Gunslinging Gerta
Back in the early days of the American film industry, movies starring women in leading roles weren’t uncommon. Helen Holmes (Hazards of Helen, 1914-1917) and Pearl White (Perils of Pauline. 1914) showed that women could do action movies whether set on the ground, sky and water. Till the early 1920s, when movies transitioned from serials… Continue reading The Female of the Species: Gunslinging Gerta
Flappers, Cowboys, Slabbing and your guides to the pulp world
Recently, a reader of this blog reached out to me and asked for suggestions for pulp authors to read, having exhausted this blog. Part of this blog is for him and other passers-by. But first, the flappers Flappers A review of the book: Cowboys Louis L’Amour takes a look back on the history and mythology… Continue reading Flappers, Cowboys, Slabbing and your guides to the pulp world
Review: Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine: So bad it’s good
Most of the time, I review pulps that I like after having read them. Not so with Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine (FGSAM). Reading it was like watching a badly-made B-movie, and since Mystery Science Theatre 3000 showed that an audience exists that appreciates such a thing, here’s my attempt to grab a slice of… Continue reading Review: Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine: So bad it’s good
Richard McKenna: How to become a professional writer
The Wikipedia article on Richard McKenna covers his life and fiction reasonably well. But if you’re feeling lazy, I asked ChatGPT to summarize it for you. Richard McKenna (1913–1964) was an American naval officer and author known for his acclaimed debut novel, The Sand Pebbles(1962). Born in Idaho, McKenna served in the U.S. Navy for… Continue reading Richard McKenna: How to become a professional writer
Bill Gulick: No horsing around, and other secrets of a writer
A profile of Bill Gulick that originally appeared in the Spokane, Washington Spokesman-Review dated July 20, 1958. I’ve added a few excerpts from another article in the Tacoma, Washington News-Tribune dated June 26, 1948. Gulick Brings Old West Alive By Jay Kalez IF BILL GULICK, Walla Walla’s prolific novelist and writer of Saturday Evening Post… Continue reading Bill Gulick: No horsing around, and other secrets of a writer