Category Archives: novels

Love & Bullets promotion!

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Love & Bullets has been accepted for admission into the Apple Store! It may take a bit for it to show up as an ISBN had to be assigned, but it will be there soon. We are also nearing closer to the release date of my fourth novel, The Myth Hunter, which I’m really excited about!

So, to celebrate both these things, I am offering a discount on the Love & Bullets ebook! For a limited time, if you purchase Love & Bullets through Smashwords, which can be found here, you will only pay $0.99! That’s a 66% price reduction!

In order to claim your discounted copy of Love & Bullets, just go to this link and when you purchase your copy, enter in YU44U for the coupon code!

But hurry up! This is a limited time offer and it expires on May 16th!

Exciting News!

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This has been in the works for a few months, but I haven’t been permitted to talk about it. Until now, that is. Here’s the full press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WEINSTEIN TAKES AIM WITH LOVE & BULLETS
Weinstein Company To Produce Big-Screen Adaptation of Indie Action Novel

A global network of assassins led by a charismatic and shadowy figurehead. An intelligence agency struggling to take them down. A woman driven by vengeance and caught between both organizations. And a man who must choose between his job and the woman he loves. Toss in a lot of high-octane action, and there’s little more that needs to be said about The Weinstein Company’s latest adaptation, Love & Bullets. Produced by Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds), the film is tentatively scheduled for a Christmas 2012 release.

Based on the novel of the same name, Love & Bullets centers on Angela Lockhart. A former government agent, Lockhart defects after the death of her husband so she can find his killer. She ends up working for the enemy, a fraternal order of assassins called Infernum, led by the mysterious power broker named Dante and his sultry second-in-command, Tauna. Christian Pierce is tasked by the Agency to bring Lockhart back into the fold, but in going undercover to bring her in, discovers himself falling in love.

According to author, Percival Constantine, Love & Bullets is just the first book in the Infernum series from Pulpwork Press. Constantine has already finished the second novel, Outlaw Blues, scheduled for a 2012 release. Tarantino first became aware of the story when Constantine sent him a copy of the book. It was Tarantino who brought it to the attention of The Weinstein Company.

Percival Constantine has written three novels to date. His first two, Fallen and Chasing The Dragon, were self-published whereas Love & Bullets was published through Pulpwork Press. Constantine’s fourth novel, The Myth Hunter, is due for release in May 2011, although it is unrelated to the Infernum series. No director has yet been attached to the project, but a shortlist is already in place.

# # #

There you have it! You can read the press release at The Weinstein Company’s official website!

Diamondback: It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

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Ever since I read Derrick’s first book, Dillon and the Voice of Odin, I’ve been sold on his work. Derrick has a knack for intriguing characters, snappy dialogue, and some of the best action I’ve had the privilege of reading.

Whereas Derrick’s Dillon series (as of this writing composed of Dillon and the Voice of Odin and the follow-up Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell) is a love letter to Doc Savage and the classic adventure story, Diamondback is a true spaghetti western. But like with Dillon, Derrick mixes his love of the classics with a modern sensibility. Derrick has frequently referred to this story as an urban western and that’s the most apt description I can think of.

Although this story could have been set in the Old West out on the frontier, it fits perfectly in the fictional city of Denbrook, which could easily give Gotham a run for its money.

When one of Denbrook’s biggest crime lords is planning to bring in a shipment of hi-tech weapons, it just so happens to coincide with the arrival of gun-for-hire Diamondback Vogel. And this is one mercenary who is the best there is at what he does and what he does is fill his enemies with lead and leave a trail of destruction in his wake. Crime lords, crooked cops, and secret societies are all involved and all interested in Diamondback’s role in this tale. However, Diamondback supposedly died in a shootout in another town, so one of the ongoing questions is just who is this guy? It’s a question that plays no small role in this story and I’m not going to say anything more about that, because you’re better off reading it for yourself.

What I will tell you is this is a great read that won’t suck up a lot of your time. Not only because it’s a short book, but also because Derrick wastes no words. He knows you’re here for the action and he gives it to you in abundance. The action sequences are crafted with both bloody intensity and a flawless grace that would make even John Woo envious. And by the time you reach the last page, you’ll want to track this Ferguson guy down and find out when the sequel is coming, because he leaves you with a cliffhanger ending that will put you on the edge of your seat.

But don’t take my word for it — see for yourself. Diamondback: It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time is available on Amazon for $10.95.

News on THE MYTH HUNTER

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To the left, you’ll see the revised cover for The Myth Hunter. This change came about after a friend pointed out that the font I had used for the previous design, which was Papyrus, was a big mistake.

You’d think being a guy who cut his teeth in the publishing world by doing comic book lettering and logo design, I would have known better than to use one of the five terrible fonts you shouldn’t use in print design.

Anyway, realizing the mistake I made in what was otherwise probably the best cover I’ve designed to date, I went ahead and changed the logo to what you now see on the left. If you remember the old design, or if you search through this site to find it, I think you’ll agree.

Strange thing is this is a font I already have in my library to begin with, so I’m not sure why I didn’t go with it instead of Papyrus. Just one of those brain farts I’ve been known to have on occasion, I suppose.

The book itself is moving closer and closer to production. I’ve gotten some good comments on how to tighten it up and help improve the pacing. Right now, we’re looking at a release date of May or June, so more information to follow with that.

While we’re on the subject of The Myth Hunter, I’ve also begun work on the sequel, Dragon Kings of the Orient. I got the idea for it while I was doing research on the first book, stumbled upon some concepts that I thought were awesome, and decided to save them for the sequel. Glad I did, because the more research I’ve done, the more I’ve found stuff I really wanted to use.

The Myth Hunter focuses on the legend of the lost continent of Lemuria, which is also known as Mu. It’ll take the protagonist, Elisa Hill, from the waters of the Caribbean to the temples of India and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

Also for some more added goodness, I’ve done several revisions on Outlaw Blues, the follow-up to Love & Bullets. That book is due for a release either at the end of this year or at the beginning of 2012.

And Tommy Hancock of Pro Se Productions and I have recently decided to team up on a project called The Adventures of Nicholas Saint. If you read Tommy’s “Ideas Like Bullets” column over at All Pulp, you’ll already have heard of this concept. If you haven’t, I’ll make it easy for you — imagine a character who’s a cross between Doc Savage and…Santa Claus. Oh yeah, it’s gonna be fun.

And last but certainly not least is Airship 27’s All Star Pulp Comics. This all started out when Ron Fortier of Airship 27 did an interview where he expressed an interest in releasing more comics. Several years earlier, I had attempted to self-publish a pulp anthology featuring separate creative teams doing eight-page stories featuring public domain pulp characters. Unfortunately, only two teams completed their stories and the project fell through. So I contacted Ron and said, “hey, I’ve got these stories here that some guys did and I’d like to see them get their work recognized. You have any interest?”

Well, Ron loved them and used them as the basis for All Star Pulp Comics and gathered a bunch of other talented guys to contribute their own stories. The project is still a way’s off to completion, but since again it was announced on The Book Cave, I feel I can mention it here. So I’m really excited about that project as well.

Cover for THE MYTH HUNTER

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The Myth Hunter is my fourth novel, the second to be published through Pulpwork Press. The release date hasn’t been finalized yet, but it’s looking to be sometime in early 2011.

Like Love & Bullets, The Myth Hunter is also the beginning of a series of books. This one features Elisa Hill. In this world, all mythologies are rooted in truth and every deity, demigod and mythological creature all exist in some form.

There are people in the world who pursue these myths. They call themselves myth hunters. Some of them do it for the pursuit of knowledge and to protect humanity from threats. But some become myth hunters for profit purposes.

Elisa Hill is the daughter of myth hunters and after their death, her father’s closest friend and fellow myth hunter, Maxwell Finch, trained Elisa. However, she went for the profit route at first, only later realizing what she had been doing was wrong and joining Finch.

This particular story centers on the myth of Lemuria, a supposed lost continent in the Pacific Ocean. Even among myth hunters, the story is considered to be fiction, but Elisa’s parents and Finch believed otherwise — and they’ve spent their lives trying to discover the truth. Now, Elisa has a lead on the existence of Lemuria and she embarks on a quest to locate the lost continent. Along the way, she’ll discover some unlikely allies and run afoul of some old friends who have become new enemies. All while trying to stay a step ahead of the mysterious sect known only as the Order.

I’ve gone back and forth on what to do for the cover. At first I considered hiring an artist to draw the cover and I had a few in mind. This story was originally conceived as a comic book which never got off the ground, so there have been some artists attached to it. But ultimately, I chose to use some stock photography to create this image.

I like the way it’s turned out. Feel it reflects both the story and the main character in an interesting way. When I was looking through stock photography, I thought I’d have a collage of not only Elisa, but two other main characters in the book. It ended up looking too busy, so I just went with Elisa.

Writing Update

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I’ve just completed the first draft of Outlaw Blues. This book is the second novel in the Infernum series, which began with Love & Bullets. Outlaw Blues features an Infernum assassin named Carl Flint, who characters may remember made a very, very minor but very significant appearance in Love & Bullets. (And if you haven’t read the book, what are you waiting for? Head on over to my store and pick up a copy!)

Outlaw Blues follows the Infernum series modus operandi of lots of action, betrayal and intrigue. It does differ a bit–Love & Bullets probably had more in common with John Woo’s Hong Kong Blood Operas such as Hard Boiled mixed with a healthy dose of James Bond trappings. Outlaw Blues is more akin to a modern-day western, taking inspiration from the films of Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood.

Carl Flint is similar to Angela Lockhart in some respects. He’s an assassin but whereas Angela was out for revenge, Flint is looking for redemption wherever he can find it. And his search will bring him on a collision course with a Colombian drug cartel in a small Mexican town.

Some familiar faces from Love & Bullets will make a reprise, particularly Julie Kim. Readers of Love & Bullets will remember her as the partner of Agency operative Christian Pierce. She was originally written in Love & Bullets as something of a background character, but she proved to be a pretty big hit with readers, which has led to her having an elevated role both in Outlaw Blues and in future installments. And, of course, the colorful and mysterious leader of Infernum, Dante, will return (albeit in a bit of a reduced role).

I’m going to begin edits on the manuscript first thing tomorrow. Depending on the Pulpwork Press release schedule, Outlaw Blues will be available for sale either towards the end of 2011 or in early 2012.

But while you may have to wait a while for the second Infernum novel, you’ve still got other opportunities to read my work. The Myth Hunter is due for an early 2011 release. This will be the start of a new series, featuring a character named Elisa Hill, who travels the world exploring various mythologies. I’m really excited about this new series and Elisa’s a character I’ve been living with for several years now. If you enjoy the Indiana Jones films, chances are you’ll get a real kick out of it.

As far as other future projects, my next novel, which I begun while Outlaw Blues was on hiatus due to computer trouble, is back on track. This book, At The Gates of Hell (working title), will feature paranormal investigator Luther Cross and focus almost exclusively on the realm of Christian mythology. I was thirty pages into it before I was able to resolve the computer trouble with Outlaw Blues, and am now prepared to go full-steam ahead.

And, of course, you can check out SoulQuest, my ongoing online serial at the Revenance Original Fiction site. The second chapter has been sent in and should see a release shortly. I’ve also got some other irons in the fire, but it’s premature at the moment to make any official announcements about those.

Dracula Lives!

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I’m going to admit something here and now, something which I’m sure my fellow horror fans will probably want to flay me alive for even thinking, let alone giving voice to:

I’m not a fan of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

I’m not sure what it is, but something about the book just doesn’t appeal to me. I’ve tried reading it a few times and each time I do, I just can’t get into it (although interestingly enough, the other horror classic, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, is in my eyes one of the greatest books ever written).

But that’s quite different from the character of Dracula. I love the character of Dracula, I just don’t care much for his first outing. He is, without a doubt, one of the best villains ever created. So popular that even now, over a century after his creation, he still manages to raise hairs on the back of your neck. That’s nothing to scoff at.

One of the best things about Dracula is also one of the worst. Since Bram Stoker’s Dracula is in the public domain, anyone can use one of literature’s greatest villains in their story. The downside to this is that…well, anyone can use one of literature’s greatest villains in their story. This has led to some truly awful renditions of the character (if you’ve seen Dracula 2000 or Blade: Trinity, you know what I’m talking about).

Dracula has transcended the medium of literature. He’s been depicted in film, television, comic books, video games, stage (including a puppet musical in Forgetting Sarah Marshall), and so on. There are some very iconic Dracula renditions, my personal favorite being Christopher Lee’s portrayal in the classic Hammer films.

Of course, this is all just rambling and for that I’m sorry. I’m supposed to be talking about Joshua Reynolds’ latest book, Dracula Lives! And I should devote some time to it, because remember how I mentioned lesser writers who completely abused Dracula’s character?

Josh isn’t one of those guys.

Josh’s Dracula is menacing, imposing, monstrously vicious and savage, but also with a certain charm and elegance. And the amazing thing about Dracula Lives? For the most part, Dracula’s not in it. He remains an imposing figure in the background, and the build-up and tension to his first appearance is handled with masterful subtlety and suspense. By the time Dracula does show his face, you might think it’d be a let-down. But no, not at all — Dracula’s debut in this novel is well-worth the wait.

Of course, you won’t be doing much waiting. The book’s not very long and there’s plenty to keep you entertained up until the titular character stands revealed. Dracula’s been portrayed in gothic romances, slasher flicks, comedies, but it’s not often you see him in a tale of espionage and mystery. And that’s exactly what this is — an espionage thriller, complete with backstabs, shady characters from shady organizations, and some femme fatales for added bonus.

The book centers around an assassin named Jonas Cream. And if you’re like me, you may have chuckled a little when you first read that name. But fortunately, Josh doesn’t give you much time to mock the character and quickly, you’re shown that Cream is the kind of guy you don’t want to mess around with. Unless of course you’re part of one of the shady organizations pulling his strings or trying to kill him.

The thrills never let up, and the veil of mystery over why Cream is so important to these people is handled masterfully. But even better than that, even better than Cream’s development through the book, is the growing menace that casts a shadow over every page. So by the time the last page hits, you are left dumbfounded.

This is only the first of a series of Dracula novels Josh is working on. The second one is titled Dracula Unbound! which if the preview at the end of this book is any indication, hopefully won’t be too far off.

180 pages, available from Pulpwork Press
Buy now at my store!

The Sea Witch

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I first discovered Joel Jenkins when I read Dire Planet. This is the first book of Joel’s I’ve read that took place in the real world, so to speak, so it was interesting to see how Joel’s style translates in a non-fantasy setting.

Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

The Sea Witch introduces us to Max Damage, an Olympic fencer and son of Pierre Dommage, a very eccentric man. Growing up, Max was given some very unusual tutoring. Max himself is a bit unusual, extremely strong and fast, a quick healer, but with some drawbacks including sensitivity to light. But Max’s life gets turned upside down when his father passes away and he inherits the family business, Damage Inc. While Max and his new accountant Seth investigate the mysterious projects and messy bookkeeping, they’re confronted by a strange Russian woman named Minnie. It seems Max’s father was involved with a man named Zhinov, President of a splintered Russian state. And now Max and his friends have become Zhinov’s targets.

The Sea Witch opens with a bang and never makes the mistake of letting you get bored. The banter between Max, Minnie and Seth is always fun to read and Joel always manages to find a new way to keep your eyes glued to the page. This is a book that will always surprise you with new action ideas Joel is able to pull out. And the machinations of Zhinov fit in perfectly with his character as a chessmaster. And the mystery behind Max’s unusual abilities as well as his connection to Minnie is maintained nicely through the course of the book until its revelation.

As much as I enjoy Joel’s fantasy work, I have to say The Sea Witch is a welcome change and just might be my favorite of his works to date. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Max and the rest of Damage Inc.

200 pages, available from Pulpwork Press
Buy now from my store!