Tuesday, July 30, 2013

RICK RUBY P.I. - SUITABLE FOR FRAMING

Rob Moran, the Pulp Factory Award winning artist on The Ruby Files Vol. 1 has made prints available of his gorgeous The Ruby Files illustrations.

Artist Rob Moran won the Pulp Factory Award this year for Best Interior Illustrator for his pieces in THE RUBY FILES. What most people do not know is that Rob sells limited edition prints of these gorgeous black and white illustrations that are perfect for matting and dressing up one's office.

For further information, contact Rob Moran at from-the-mind-of-moran@voodoovisionstudios.com

See more print samples here.

Airship 27 Productions’ The Ruby Files Vol. 1 is still available for purchase.

Monday, July 29, 2013

SOMETIMES I GET ASKED STUFF PART 5


One of the best parts of being a writer is the interesting people you get to meet at conventions, store signings, through the Earth Station One podcast, and on social media. Sometimes I get asked questions so I thought it would be interesting to share some of them along with the answers. Some of these are questions asked to me directly, some come from social media, and others are asked to a group of writers. Regardless of where they come from, here’s a few of the latest.

Check out Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, and Part 4 here.

Q: Why is the sky blue?

I have to thank my friend, Blake for this one. When he first asked, this was my answer. “Because there's a smartass in every group, Blake.” I then thought that I should probably expound further, but then decided that my first response was pretty good. HA! HA!

Q: What is an all-ages comic book?

An all-ages comic is a comic that both kids and adults can read. It's not just a kid's book or just an adult book, but suitable for both. The mainstream comics of the 60's - 80's were mostly all ages. These days there are few that are made for both. It’s cot comics, but I’d say the Pixar movies are mostly all-ages. You get different things out of them as an adult than as a child.

Q: Do you set up a new Facebook page for every series or book you have, or do you just have an author page?

Just the author page. There’s no need for a page for every one of my books. That becomes very difficult to manage and maintain. I rarely LIKE pages that are books for that very reason. Besides, I already spend too much time on Facebook.

Q: Any plans to write any other pulp characters?


Oh yeah. I just finished a Fight Card book last week. I have a story in The Avenger: Roaring Heart of The Crucible and in The Spider: Extreme Prejudice, both of which came out in the past month or so. Another The Spider anthology featuring a story by me is coming soon. Domino Lady: Sex As A Weapon will be re-released in October plus I wrote a Domino Lady novel that will come out sometime in the near future. Earlier this year I had Secret Agent X and Green Hornet stories come out. Plus, in a couple months I start work on a Honey West/Domino Lady novel for next year. Whew. And that’s not even all of it. You can check out the full list at www.bobbynash.com if you'd like.

Q: Who is your favorite golden age pulp character that you discovered relatively recently?

Domino Lady. I had never heard of her before I was tasked with writing a story. I love the character now. Secret Agent X is another. I had heard of the character, but hadn’t read much before I was tasked with writing him.

Q: What were the other tunes played in Evil Ways along with Carlos Santana’s Evil Ways?

You have to read the book to find out. :) Okay, I guess I can share. The other two songs were Bruce Springsteen's 'Glory Days" and 'Tryin' To Live My Life Without You' by Bob Segar.

This was covered in a previous Q&A, but here’s some background on how Evil Ways got its title.

There's a scene in the novel that takes place in a bar. The house band plays classic rock covers. One of the characters in the book is a singer. They coax him on stage to do a few songs. I turned on the radio and the next 3 songs that played were the songs he performed. One of those was Evil Ways and I thought it might make an interesting title until I came up with something better. It stuck.

Q: Should you as an author expect to do most of the legwork in marketing your book or should your publisher do it?

Ideally, both should do it. The publisher should do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of marketing in places where the author cannot, like magazines, TV, bookstore distribution, and the like. This is a short-term thing though because the publisher then moves on to the next book being released. The author should be spreading the word as well because, let’s face it, who should care more about the author’s book than the author? Plus, the author can market long term and keep sales going beyond the initial sales week. This helps keep royalties coming and can lead to publishers requesting more books from the author.

Q: How do you write about things you *don't* know?

I research when I can. Sometimes that means searching the internet, other times it means meeting people who have that knowledge, and sometimes it means just making it up as I go along.

Q: How are you doing on their creative projects/writing?

I'm up to my eyeballs in multiple deadlines so I've been chipping away at multiple projects every day. This will continue through August and into September. After that, I need a vacation.  :)

Q: What is your favorite Kurt Russell movie?

Tombstone. I absolutely love this movie. If I run across it on the TV I will sit and watch it every time. My second favorite is probably John Carpenter’s The Thing. Guilty pleasure favorite would be Tango and Cash.

Q: Favorite Michael Douglas movie?

Wall Street followed by Romancing The Stone.

Q: Where can I find your books?


As luck would have it, there are links in the tabs at the top of the page. Novels, anthologies/novellas, short stories, comic books, and audio. I also have the Amazon a-store link up top as well. Outside of that, you can ask your favorite bookseller to order them for you. Plus, most are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and the like. They're out there. I also sell a few autographed copies direct. There are buy it now buttons on the tabs as well. I'll add more as we go along. Just ask. I might have a copy or two on hand.

BOBBY NASH’S FANTASTIC FOUR

On a forum, I mentioned that I have always had an interest in and would one day love to write The Fantastic Four. Author I.A. Watson sent me these questions based on that response. I was aware of them from cartoons, but I've been a huge fan of the Fantastic Four since the mid-80's when I was introduced to their comic book adventures. My favorite FF uniforms are the black with white belts, gloves, boots, & neck piece.

My only caveat here is that I've not given any thought to stories I would tell since I haven't gotten this particular job. If I got the job as the Fantastic Four writer this might change because, as writer, you have to give the editor/publisher what they want.

Q: The FF has really only had about four storylines since vol 1 #20 - a member leaves/dies/is replaced, the team explores something, Reed invents something, or an old villain returns deadlier than ever. What would you do with the team that didn't retread that old ground?

You cannot simply jettison those parts because the Fantastic Four are, first and foremost, a team of explorers. I love that the FF is often discovering new races, new worlds, new galaxies, new dimensions, well, you get the idea. Reed not inventing something is out of character.

That said, I have no plans to have anyone leave. I like my Fantastic Four to be Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny. Of course, She-Hulk can pop by for a visit every now and again because I love that
character. Granted, as I type this I’ve not written any plots, but I would love to start the FF on an adventure that takes them on a great journey into strange lands and see what happens. I would also want to do more down to Earth stories between their grand ol’ adventures. Mix ‘n match.

Q: Likewise, the FF hasn't really had a major villain added to their rogues gallery since Lee/Kirby. What kind of threat might you come up with that has the staying power and returnability of the Mole Man, the Skrulls, or Anihillus?

Good question. If I were writing the series I would certainly create some new adversaries for the FF, as well as some allies and friends as well. That said, I wouldn’t rule out revisiting some of the classic villains as well. You have to mix and match. A new villain
going to war with an older FF villain with our heroes caught in the middle does have some appeal.

Q: What would you do with Johnny Storm? How do you make him as central to the series and as cool as he was in 1963?

Johnny is a cool character. I think he is sometimes written a little too childish. Is he childish at times? Sure. Is he that way all the time? No. Can he be a jerk? You bet. Is he always? No. Johnny is like that teen actor who becomes instantly famous and it goes to his head. Johnny is a hothead, prone to leaping without looking. This gets him into all types of trouble, both in her personal life and as a superhero.

Q: How would you handle Dr Doom? How would you cope with "Doom fatigue"?

Doom would not happen immediately in my run if possible. Eventually, I start in with Doom as a subplot. He’s up to something, but what? He’s searching for something, but what? How will this hurt Reed Richards?

Q: What role would Franklin and Valeria play in your run? How would you make Valeria less annoying and less of the sort of deus et machina her brother used to be?

I love the kids. Valeria being smarter than Reed makes her the magical fix to many of the issues they run into. I love the relationship between Val and Franklin. I would love to see that relationship continue. Family is an important part of the FF. You can’t be successful with this title is you ignore that.

Q: How would you develop the most neglected, cliche, and difficult-to-get-right relationship between the four, that of Reed and Sue?

Reed and Sue Richards are the longest running married couple in comics and I love that. It seems that a lot of stories about married couples fall into these categories: 1). They argue all the time and we fear they’ll split up. 2). One cheats, or is tempted to cheat, on the other. 3). They are the perfect couple.

Now, let me preface this by stating that I am not married so I am therefore no expert on the subject, but I like to think that, based on observations, a married couple doesn’t fit snugly into one of these categories alone. Get to know the characters and write them in character and you will see how their relationship develops. I imagine Sue gets rather irritated at Reed on a regular basis, but she also knew the kind of man she married. She knows how he gets lost in his work. To suddenly write her hating
that about him would be the wrong way to go. Reed and Sue are a team and I love them as a couple.

And that’ll do it for this round, I think. Do you have any questions you’d like me to answer? Post them here as a comment or send them along to bobby@bobbynash.com and I’ll answer them in a future installment of Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff...

Also, please sign up for my mailing list. Drop me an email at bobby@bobbynash.com and I'll happily add you to the list.

Thanks.

Bobby


Sunday, July 28, 2013

MY GAME PLAYING DAYS ARE OVER!

I worked on some advertisements for my Deadly Games! novel. I liked how the Quoting Evil ads for Evil Ways worked out so I used that as the basis for these ads. As with the Evil Ways ads, I left an empty space for these to work as Facebook cover photos at my page and my author page.

What do you think?

Bobby

Click for a larger view.



ABOUT DEADLY GAMES!--
A novel by Bobby Nash

A madman's death triggers the most deadly game of all!
They played the most dangerous game of all and death was only the beginning...

Six years ago, Police Detective John Bartlett and journalist Benjamin West were instrumental in the capture of notorious master criminal Darrin Morehouse. Their story played out in the media, rocketing both Bartlett and West into local celebrity status.

Today, Morehouse, still a master game player and manipulator, commits suicide while in prison. His death initiates one final game of survival for the people Morehouse felt wronged him the most. At that top of the list are Bartlett and West, who must set aside their differences to save the lives of Morehouse's other victims and solve one last game before a dead man’s hired killers catch them and his other enemies.

Deadly Games! is a fast-paced action/thriller featuring action, suspense, murder, and the occasional gunfire from Author Bobby Nash, the writer of Evil Ways, Domino Lady, Lance Star: Sky Ranger, and more.

BUY AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY DIRECT FROM BEN BOOKS
 
 

DEADLY GAMES! can also be purchased in print and digital editions at the following:
BEN Books Direct E-store (paperback)
Amazon (paperback)
Barnes and Noble (paperback)
Powell's Books (paperback)
Amazon (Kindle) ebook
Smashwords (multiple ebook formats)
Barnes and Noble (Nook) ebook
Barnes and Noble UK (Nook) ebook
Barnes and Noble UK (Nook) ebook
KOBO ebook
Drive Thru Fiction ebook
SONY Reader ebook



John Bartlett and Benjamin West will return in Deadly Deals! Coming 2013.

Get your free Deadly Games! ebook AuthorGraph at www.authorgraph.com/authors/bobbynash

Reader Andrea Judy reviewed Deadly Games! at her Judy Black Cloud blog. You can read the full review here.

Learn more about the making of the Deadly Games! cover. Bobby Nash wrote a guest post for at author Rachel Hunter’s Life Defined blog. You can read the full post here.

Deadly Games! received a good review on GoodReads. Read it here.

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Saturday, July 27, 2013

SNIKT! SNIKT!

Number 1 with a bullet (train).

Love this John Byrne art.
I caught a showing of The Wolverine today along with my ESO co-host, Howdy Mike Gordon and his girlfriend, Michelle. I absolutely loved the movie. It's a fun action flick. Once again, Hugh Jackman owns the role of Wolverine. Highly recommended.

We'll discuss the movie in-depth on this week's Earth Station One podcast.

See you there.

Bobby


Friday, July 26, 2013

HUEY DUSK’S LOUNGE AND CLOWN ROOM REVIEWS THE RUBY FILES


"Every story a gem..."  is what the tagline reads--and you will find much truth in that shibboleth.

The Ruby Files team would like to thank Whit Howland at Huey Dusk’s Lounge and Clown website for their kind review of The Ruby Files Vol. 1. You can read the full review here.

Tell ‘em Ruby sent ya.

GET BOBBY'S BOOKS DISCOUNTED!

Amazon is currently running a sale and most of the books and novels that I have worked on are currently discounted, including the new releases. If you've been waiting for the prices to drop to check out some of my work, now's your chance.

Please swing by my Amazon Author Page here for more details.

Thanks.

Bobby

QUOTING EVIL...




Played around with some advertising ideas for Evil Ways with quotes from the novel. Here are the first ones I came up with. These were made to be Facebook cover photos so the blank area is where the profile photo overlaps. You can check them out here and here.

What do you think?

Bobby

Thursday, July 25, 2013

ÃœBER-TALES - COMING SOON FROM DEMON PRESS


Demon Press has released the cover for the upcoming release, Ãœber-tales - 5 tales of derring-do to shock and amaze you by James Burns.

About Ãœber-tales:
This 40-page full-color book contains a variety of stories; from superhero allegory to WWII adventure to end-time religious heresy. There's something for everyone in this adventure-filled tome. Stories and art by James Burns, with 2 stories written by Pulp award-winning writer Bobby Nash.

Bobby’s stories in this volume include “Surveillance” and “The Crown of Ghengis Kai” a Lance Star: Sky Ranger adventure, both drawn by James Burns.

Coming soon.

We will post ordering links here when the book becomes available.

BOBBY'S COMIC BOOKS APPEAR ON NECESSARY ROUGHNESS


A couple of comic books that I worked on made a brief (and I mean brief so don't blink) appearance on the July 24th episode of Necessary Roughness called "The Haunting." Dr. Dani Santino (Callie Thorne) tries to help an author with his writer's block. During the story they end up in a comic book store and there they are.

Featured in this episode is Domino Lady Vs. Mummy as co-written with Nancy Holder, with a cover by Dan Brereton from Moonstone Books and the Strong Will preview book from New Legend Productions featuring a cover by the award-winning Mark Maddox. Also on the shelf is The Invisible Scarlet O'Neil that my friend, ESO co-host, and Strong Will co-writer, Michael Gordon worked on for New Legend Productions featuring a cover by Phil Noto.

Special thanks to Tony Cade at Dragon's Horde comic shop for inviting us to add our comics to the scene, which was filmed at Atlanta's Oxford Comics.

Learn more about Necessary Roughness here.

The photos were taken directly off the TV so they are a little blurry as they were behind the character who was in focus, but you can still make out the cover art.

Click on the images for a larger view. I'll try to get some better shots. If I can, I will post those here as well.

New episodes of Necessary Roughness air Wednesdays at 10 pm on the USA Cable Network.

Bobby