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Hardluck Thoughts |
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This issue of Hardluck marks five years of publication. During that time Hardluck has published some of the best noir short fiction available anywhere--at least anywhere I've been able to find--by both some of the most respected names in the business and upcoming stars. Also during those five years I've been amazingly lucky with the guest editors I've gotten to work with with, and for whatever reason a number of them have been connectioned with Five Star: Ed Gorman, Jeremiah Healy, Mike Black (two tours of duty as guest editor), Harry Shannon and Trey Barker. A quick note about Five Star Mystery, as you can tell from John Helfers introduction they've published many of the biggest names in the business, as well as searching out new and up and coming talent. They're one of the true good guys in this business--caring more about the quality of the book than the "perceived" commercial value, and publishing worthy crime fiction that would otherwise fall between the cracks of the NY publishing houses. Mystery readers, as well as the mystery writing community in general, are much better off for their efforts, and we all owe a very large tip of the cap to Ed Gorman for getting this started. Ed's words as to how this came about:
"I grew up reading the
Crime Club line from Doubleday. I also read the Doubleday DD western line and
the science fiction one as well. Within those lines you could find books in all
sorts of sub-genres. While none were avant-garde the novels covered a wide range
of types and styles. I'd always wanted to recreate what Doubleday had done for
over fifty years, produce lines of books that were library staples around the
country. I talked to Marty Greenberg about this, he had many fine ideas of his
own about the lines, and we went to Five Star." You probably noticed a change of artists for this issue. I couldn't in good conscience go to Jean-Pierre Jacquet again. Not only is he an amazingly talented artist, but he's also one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, and I knew if I asked him he'd agree, just as I also know that he's busy with a lot of other projects right now. I owe Jean-Pierre a great debt of gratitude for the artwork he's contributed in the past, and he's been greatly responsible for giving Hardluck its noirish look over the past year. For this issue, another very talented artist--Steve Cartwright--stepped in and did an outstanding job. More news. Past guest editor, Craig McDonald has his first novel, Head Games, coming out this September from Bleak House. The book has been getting amazing reviews, and anyone who has read Craig's short fiction here on Hardluck or elsewhere know he's a writer of immense talent. This is one book I'm looking forward to, and given Craig's dark sensibilities Hardluck readers should be looking forward to this also. You can also check out Craig's cool new website by clicking here. Another book recommendation. Dead Street by Mickey Spillane. Hardcase is publishing this original crime novel posthumously. Written by Spillane while he was in his 80s and he doesn't miss a beat with it. Everything I love about his writing is in this one: sharp prose, paranoia, toughness, hard-hitting violence and heroism are all in this one. For anyone who loves Spillane this one's a welcomed gift. Last issue with Trey Barker as guest editor, Hardluck put out our Noir Blues issue. In a matter of great minds thinking alike, Libby Hellman has edited a new anthology of noir blues stories, Chicago Blues, which features stories by several past Hardluck contributors. Here's Libby describing this new anthology: It’s been said that the Blues are the noir of music, and nobody does Blues like Chicago. This anthology captures the depths to which people sink when they have the Blues. The emptiness and pain spawned by revenge. The violence—or occasionally, the bittersweet redemption—that comes from deceit, desperation, or love gone bad. All of the writers in this collection were inspired by the Blues, many in ways that go beyond the music. You’ll find stories about the music -- but you’ll also find stories about cops, depression, a Code Blue, the Cubs, even the El’s Blue Line. Contributors include Stuart Kaminsky, Sara Paretsky, Barbara D’Amato, Max Allan Collins, Marcus Sakey, Sean Chercover, JA Konrath, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Michael Black, Sam Reaves, and others.
Personal stuff. The UK publisher, Serpent's Tail, who's publishing some of the most exciting crime fiction available anywhere, has bought two more of my books--Pariah and Killer. They're now going to be publishing Small Crimes and these two other books as a noir trilogy based loosely on a "badass just out of prison" theme. Small Crimes, which comes out next March, opens with with my protagonist, a disgraced ex-cop, being released from jail after 8 years for maiming a DA who was in the process of building a police corruption case against him. Now out of jail, this ex-cop wants to go through life without causing any more damage, but that's just not in the cards. Pariah is kind of the flipside to this. The guy being released from prison is a high-level member of the South Boston Irish Mob, and he's someone who leaves death and destruction wherever he goes. Pariah will be published 1/09. Killer opens similarly, in this case my protagonist is a Mafia hitman. I can't tell you how excited I am about this--especially in having Serpent's Tail be the one to pick up these books. For more about Small Crimes and Pariah, check out my author's page here on Hardluck. Short story news. I have three new short stories either out now or coming out soon. The very cool crime fiction web-zine, Pulp Pusher, has published a very early story of mine, Nothing But Jerks. Longtime readers of Hardluck might recognize this story from the noir comic book Jean-Pierre Jacquet and I put out for the bank robbery issue of Hardluck. Also out now is Thirteen Locks in the horror/erotica anthology Hot Blood 13, and coming out soon, Adrenaline in Out of the Gutter #3. A quick note about Thirteen Locks. It's pretty vile--the only thing I've written so far that I wouldn't let my wife read. Friends of mine who read it before I sent it in tried to convince me to throw it out, or at least use a pseudonym, but I ignored what was probably good advice. So why write something like this? Well, I was feeling guilty about Hot Blood 12. I'd sent in a story that was probably one of my better noir stories, but shoehorning in just enough sex in what was really a very non-erotic story to allow the editors to buy it. It wasn't what their readers were looking for. So with Hot Blood 13, I decided to give them exactly what they wanted. Would I ever write another story like this? No, but for this one time, I decided what the fuck. And anyone who thinks I'm exaggerating about how vile and disgusting this story, nope, not in the least. Just giving some advanced warning... Bad Thoughts. This has been out a month now, and has been getting a very enthusiastic reaction. Booklist, Library Journal, Poisoned Pen Booknews, The Virginian-Pilot, January Magazine, Book Bitch, Midwest Book Review, Romance Reviews Today, Mysterical-E, Mouth Full of Bullets, Bill Crider, Ken Bruen, Adrian McKinty, Steve Hamilton and Jeremiah Healy have all been decidedly on the plus side of the ledger. What was really cool was seeing a librarian at the Dover, NH public library single the book out on their blog: "If you like mysteries told from a killer's perspective and don't mind a lot of blood and murder you may want to look into a little known subgenre called "noir fiction". These crime novels often combine obsessive passion with murder and always involve evil, weaving together just enough of the dark side to make one wonder. Most recently I came across an entertaining mystery that included all the noir characteristics, "Bad Thoughts" by Dave Zeltserman. I was so enticed by the tense, fast pace I immediately wanted another like it." A recent review on Book Bitch sums Bad Thoughts up pretty well: Call it horror or call it crime fiction – either way it’s an intriguing read with a bizarre ending. Bill Shannon is a police detective who is bothered with nightmares stemming from the discovery of his mother being murdered. Now, approaching the twentieth anniversary of her death, the nightmares are worse and seem connected to current cases. Is his mother’s killer at work again? But he was sent to his grave twenty years ago. Or could all this be a manifestation of Shannon’s own sense of guilt? There’s no shortage of blood and gore, but if you don’t mind sinking into it, this may be the start of an ingenious series along the lines of Darkly Dreaming Dexter. 08/07 Jack Quick. So here's a question for Hardluck readers, do you mind sinking into a little blood and gore? Until later.
--Dave Zeltserman
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