Tag: Secrets

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

Negatives, Dragon’s Blood and Acid. How line drawings were reproduced

I’ve always been interested in all aspects of pulp production including how they reproduced line drawings in the pulps. The same process worked for stylistically very different artists like Hannes Bok, Virgil Finlay, Edd Cartier, Nick Eggenhoffer, Arthur Rodman Bowker, Dorothy Flack  and John R. Flanagan. Read on and find out how they did it.… Continue reading Negatives, Dragon’s Blood and Acid. How line drawings were reproduced

Carbon Copy: The Secret Home Life of an Authors’ Typist

You’ll learn here how one girl’s spare-time work at home became a full-time job—a “specialty” that she finds very satisfactory MARIAN PEHOWSKI “COMANCHE yells split the air as Dan Drew peered around the clearing before the shack. Suddenly, bang ! Bang! Pow—” An Indian raid or a double murder, it’s all in a day’s work… Continue reading Carbon Copy: The Secret Home Life of an Authors’ Typist

Original painting of a magazine cover, absolutely free

A bit late for those of us born later than 1936, unfortunately. If you were born before then, give a good excuse for why you don’t have one or share a photo of your original cover painting. Excerpted from the January 1936 issue of Gold Seal Detective, which would have been on the newsstands from… Continue reading Original painting of a magazine cover, absolutely free

Link Roundup: Academics, Collectors, Secrets and Stories

It’s been a while since I did a link roundup, there should be something interesting for everyone here. From the Groves of Academe Herbert Morton Stoops – Pulp Illustrator, a talk Stoops was an early graduate of Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University). During his career, Stoops’ illustrations featured in publications like “Colliers,”… Continue reading Link Roundup: Academics, Collectors, Secrets and Stories

Starting right: Powerful advice on story openings

From top pulp editor, Arthur S. Hoffman, who edited Adventure for the better part of two decades and made it into one of the top general fiction pulps, comes this advice on story openings. Originally published in Author & Journalist, August 1930. THE mystery is: Why aren’t they better? Much has been written telling how… Continue reading Starting right: Powerful advice on story openings

Last Wish: Argosy

Asks for Copies of Argosy Magazine to Finish Serial Story Who in Livingston has copies of the Argosy magazine for August 17 and 24? The Enterprise wants one copy of each. The request is made in order that Rollin Davisson, condemned to die Oct. 30. may be able to complete a continued story which he… Continue reading Last Wish: Argosy