How the West was Weird and Lone Crow

How the West was Weird gets reviewed over at Pulp Fiction Reviews. Swing on over and check out Ron Fortier's critique...

And in response to Mr. Fortier's question, it does look as though there will be further adventures of Lone Crow seeing print. It appears that a Lone Crow story (with Wyatt Earp) will be showing up in the next issue of Dark Worlds. I'll keep you apprised when I have further information.

In the meantime, copies of How the West was Weird are available at Pulpwork Press or Amazon.

Countess Oblivion

Josh Reynolds serialized tale, Countess Oblivion, is off to an intriguing start. It stars a version of the ubiquitous Countess Felluci.

Check out the first chapter.

Dire Planet Compendium #5: Arshen

The arshen is a large slug-like creature which dwells in subterranean pits. They exude a thick pitch-like substance which the Martian Tribes use to waterproof clothing, boats, and wings. The skin of a slain arshen is difficult to remove, but is semi-translucent and naturally waterproof. It is used for tent, tarpaulin, clothing and for covering the gejassoas frames that form the wings that so many tribes use for travel. The arshen seem ponderous and placid, but they have an unpredictable temperament that makes them dangerous. They can move more quickly than most imagine and they are capable of swallowing large animals or humans whole, and their corrosive gastric juices quickly break down their meals.

Copyright 2010 by Joel Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.

Pick up the Dire Planet books at Amazon or PulpWork Press.

Dire Planet Compendium #4: The Rotteliver

The humble rotteliver is a Martian insect pest with twelve legs and a hard carapace that makes it notoriously difficult to kill. These like to invade grain stores and supplies, tainting them and making them unfit for consumption. This gives rise to the comparisons, "as tenacious as a rotteliver" or "as resilient as rotteliver."

Certain species of these insects are omnivorous and will eat carrion or flesh. In fact, some healing shamans use them to treat infections, by setting the rottelivers in the wound and letting them eat the infected and necrotic flesh.

However, this treatment is best performed only by skilled shamans as there are some species of rotteliver that have a taste for living flesh just as well as dead flesh and are not so selective about what they eat. There are reports of entire scouting parties that have been devoured by rottelivers after they had the misfortune of stumbling into a colony.

Copyright 2010 by Joel Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.

Pick up the Dire Planet books at Amazon or PulpWork Press.

I Go Spelunking

I'm appearing on a recent episode of The Book Cave with hosts Ric and Art. I discuss my book The Nuclear Suitcase, The Gantlet Brothers, and they track down a Gantlet story from ten years ago and expose a continuity error on my part. Good Fun!

Also we discuss upcoming projects and book releases. Check out the Book Cave PodCast here.

Dire Planet Compendium: Geltar & The Geltar Whip

The geltar is a cold-blooded, scaled creature which is sometimes domesticated for use as a beast of burden. They are thick-skinned, slow-witted, but incredibly strong and sometimes incredibly stubborn. The geltar whip is braided with diamond chips that can lacerate even the thick hide of the geltar, and is a most effective tool in making the geltar more submissive. They are slow to anger, but there are more than a few tales of a "geltar pushed too far" which has turned on its master and made a meal of her.

The geltar are used among the steltic ice mines of the Rathuri Tribe and also as beasts of burden among the agricultural tribe of the Fejuvisi. Geltars are not commonly used among the Muvari Tribe.

Copyright 2010 by Joel Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.

Pick up the Dire Planet books at Amazon or PulpWork Press.

Scorpions Throw Down the Gantlet

On March 23rd the Teutonic rockers, The Scorpions, throw down a new (and reportedly their final) album, Sting in the Tail, which my sources tell me includes a tribute to Slatko 'Sly' Gantlet. Indeed, a perusal of the Scorpions official website confirms that track number 10 is entitled Sly.

Though the Scorpions and the Gantlet Brothers were initially from opposite sides of the wall--The Gantlet Brothers escaping over the Berlin Wall in 1982--they considered each other as fellow Germans, double-billed a number of shows, and even celebrated the fall of the Berlin wall together. Though former Scorpion drummer Herman 'the German' Rarebell and drummer Mitz Gantlet were said to have a few moments of friction on their tour, these were invariably ironed out the next day.

Anyway, it's very cool to see The Scorpions honoring their lost brother. Of course, you can read further about the life and adventures of Sly Gantlet in my book The Nuclear Suitcase which is available at PulpworkPress and Amazon.