Kindle-fied Review 9: GUNS OF RETRIBUTION, by Icy Sedgwick

Icy Sedgwick is late of London, now back in Newcastle (not Liverpool, as previously noted). She’s been writing critically-acclaimed steampunk for a while now, but in her latest novel from the always-fearless Pulp Press, she treads new ground. And she comes up aces.
THE GUNS OF RETRIBUTION is a strong Western full of action, honor, betrayal, and fast guns. Our hero, Gray O’Donnell, is a bounty hunter with a strong sense of justice, on the trail of a criminal named Blackjack Bud Hudson. But his quest takes him a little too close to his old home in the town of Retribution, where some unfinished business in the form of Jasper Roberts awaits. Jasper is a scumbag who’s only lately become sheriff of Retribution, and he plans on using his newfound power to make life miserable for Gray—miserable enough that it can only end in a hanging.
Sedgwick has clearly done her research—the short novel is laced through with convincing bits of regional and historical asides. But to her credit, she doesn’t get bogged down in it. The story moves swiftly through a lot of very playful dialogue and action. There’s very little exposition, and that’s as it should be.
Gray is a very likeable hero; I couldn’t help but think he’d get along well with Edward Grainger’s Cash Laramie. Over-all, THE GUNS OF RETRIBUTION feels like a single episode in a longer saga, which I hope is an indication of more Gray O’Donnell to come.

The Over 100 Club

I already mentioned this on them there social media sites, like The Facebook and The Twitter, but I should say it here as well: this "less than 100 followers" thing is getting downright embarrassing. All the other bloggers are mocking me behind my back. So here's my offer...

If I can get to 100 followers... and beyond!!... I'll post an audio of me reading one of my stories here. You can close your eyes and listen to my dulcet tones and imagine James Earl Jones, Barry White, and Tommy Lee Jones all rolled up snug, reading a non-award-winning tale to chill yer hackles.

If you already follow, hey, thanks. If not, just click on that button somewhere over on the right. Or spread it around. I want them perks that come with more followers.

Kindle-fied Review 8: BROKEN BONES, by Troy Lambert

BROKEN BONES is the debut collection of up-and-comer Troy Lambert, and a fine collection it is. 19 stories total, most of them involving men at a sort of crisis point in their lives, events ranging from loss of identity to impending death. The drama in Lambert’s stories unfolds as we witness the true depth—or lack thereof—of the protagonists. Most of his protagonists rise to the occasion, and that’s the inherent optimism of the author. He has a good opinion of humanity, and that’s rather refreshing.
Lambert has included even his earliest, roughest work. The plus side of this is that you can see how much he’s improved as a story-teller. And he’s not afraid to take stylistic risks, most of which really pay off quite nicely.

Kindle-fied Review 7: CADILLAC'S COMIN', by Mike Dennis

CADILLAC'S COMIN' is Mike Dennis’ love letter to rock’n’roll, that’s what it is.
Memphis, 1958, and rockabilly piano stomper Ike Thacker is on the verge of the big-time. A sort of cross between Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent, Ike has just released his hit single “Cadillac’s Comin’” and the world is opening up to him. Until a horrible and tragic accident derails everything…
The story picks up in the eighties, with a wanna-be musician whose life spirals out of control when he gets involved with the wrong people and finds himself immersed in the world of the Dixie Mafia. Ike Thacker, now an old, largely forgotten has-been, appears in a peripheral role.
I found the second part of CADILLAC’S COMIN' just a little bit weaker than the first, even though the actual crime story happens there—I just got so wrapped up in Ike’s career, and the wonderful atmosphere Dennis created. It felt very historically accurate, with appearances by real-life characters like Sam Phillips and Gene Vincent. Still, Dennis does a great job of weaving the two stories together so that by the end everything comes together nicely. I’d recommend this one, especially if, like me, you have a soft spot for roots music.

OFF THE RECORD and other stuff

Just a quick note-- I'd planned on starting a new series of weekly posts today on the great writers of hard-boiled and nor lit from the '50's and early '60's. But I'm putting that off for another couple of weeks, at least. I've wound up unexpectedly busy these last few weeks with writing stuff, and to be honest, as much as I love posting here at Psycho-Noir, fiction writing takes priority.

The good news (good news if you like reading my fiction, that is) is that over the remainder of the year you'll be seeing three or four stories from me at various places. One that I can mention right now is a new anthology being put together by Luca Veste, called OFF THE RECORD. About 30 writers are coming together for it, and the proceeds will go to children's literacy charities. So... well-done, Luca, and I'm happy to be part of it.

Information on the other projects as they roll out.

I WILL get to the series on hard-boiled/noir writers as soon as time permits.

And just one more quick thing, while I'm thinking of it-- a thank you. The warm responses I've received to THE BASTARD HAND and DIG TEN GRAVES has been a real antidote to that crippling self-doubt that plagues most writers at one time or another. The positive reviews and kind words have left me feeling that maybe I'm doing something right. I feel very, very good about my work these days. Again, thank you.

...and that's as sentimental as you're gonna see me get, so don't get used to it, fuckers.

Kindle-fied Review 6: RAISED IN HELL(THE DEVIL'S MUSIC), by Julia Madeleine

I was so impressed with Julia Madeleine’s Roman Dalton story FEAR THE NIGHT, that I immediately bought RAISED IN HELL, the first in a series of demonically-influenced peeks at the dark, secret history of rock’n’roll. And I was very, very glad I did.
First of all, it’s very clear that Madeleine knows her roots music. I know a thing or two about the subject myself, and can spot a fake ten miles away—Julia Madeleine is the real deal.
And the story? Sweet. It’s Depression-era America—Memphis, to be exact—and Sadie, the Devil’s very own daughter, is in town to collect a very particular soul. The soul is question belongs to a legendary bluesman (come on, you know the one—sold his soul at the crossroads?) but it seems he’s not quite ready to part with it yet.
Sadie is surprisingly likeable… okay, I know she’s the Devil’s daughter, but I still like her. Madeleine doesn’t go the easy predictable route by making Sadie dangerously seductive and evil--I mean, she IS dangerously seductive and sexy and all that… but she’s MORE than that, too. She’s sympathetic. She LOVES music. And she LOVES the souls she takes. Her motivation isn’t exactly evil.
To say any more about RAISED IN HELL would spoil it for you. Just take my word for it and read this one. Can’t wait to see where Madeleine takes Sadie next.

Kindle-fied Review 5: THE CHAOS WE KNOW, by Keith Rawson

Keith Rawson writes with fire and fury, taking a sledgehammer to your comfort zones and exposing you to all manner of ugliness. And he also never mixes metaphors the way I just did.
THE CHAOS WE KNOW is an amazing and disturbing collection that drags you down (quite willingly) into the bowels of human suffering. Rawson’s characters are meth-heads, corrupt cops, pervs, trannies, cannibals. The earliest stories in the book are more like snippets, really, slice-of-life bits that serve as appetizers for the more fully fleshed out stories later. Rawson’s style is bold and aggressive and raw. We need more writers with balls like this.
Only one negative comment, and it has nothing to do with Rawson’s abilities as a writer: some typos and formatting issues that would occasionally pull me out of the story, especially toward the second half of the book. But these weren’t near enough to spoil the experience. THE CHAOS WE KNOW heralds the arrival of a major talent.