Tuesday, April 7, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ~ ROCKFORD!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ~ ROCKFORD!

JIM GARNER IS 81 TODAY. THE ILLUSTRATION IS BY PETE EMLSIE. TO CHECK OUT MORE OF HIS TRIBUTE TO GARNER/ROCKFORD AT HIS CARTOON CAVE WEBSITE CLICK HERE

TWENTY GREATEST CAR MOVIES!

TWENTY GREATEST CAR MOVIES!

THE TELEGRAPH.UK HAS A POSTED IT’S TOP TEN CAR MOVIES FEATURING SOME INTERESTING CHOICES, BUT NO SURPRISES IN THE #1 SPOT . . .

#1 BULLITT

Dodge Charger finished in a sinister shade of black? Check. Tough guy with leather gloves and impossibly earnest expression? Check. Hard-nosed accomplice with steely eyes and white mac? Check. Ford Mustang Fastback looming in the rear-view mirror, paragon of insouciance Steve McQueen at the wheel? Check. A minute or two of developing tension? Check. A sudden dab of throttle to herald several minutes of tyre-smoking, opposite-lock action through and around San Francisco? Check. Same green VW Beetle cropping up repeatedly in the background? Check. Gunfire? Check. Wimbledon Stadium tactics? Check. Charger ploughs into fuel station and explodes? Check. Baddies incinerated? Check. McQueen drives away as though he'd done nothing more taxing than switch radio channels? Check. Nine and a bit minutes of timeless cinema.


FOR THE FULL LIST CLICK HERE

A REV OF THE ENGINE TO BILL CRIDER

THE CAT'S MEOW!

THE IMAGINATION THEATRE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 #4!

THE IMAGINATION THEATRE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 #4!

Welcome to this edition of The Imagination Theatre Newsletter. This is a purely free subscriber based publication so if you'd like to be removed from our list simply scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the steps needed take your names off of our rolls.

IT'S SPRING AND WE'RE STILL HERE

Well the New Year is four months old, the economy is still struggling, Baseball is gearing up and we're still doing what we do best, producing the best audio dramas we're capable of to send your way. Back in the days of the Great Depression 1929 - 1940 Americans were always looking for that "thing" that would take their minds off of their financial troubles. Going to the movies, where the bill was changed twice week, was a big help. The admission price wasn't much and you could see two films for the price of one.

Big Band music was extremely popular and many were the dimes and dollars spent to hear Harry James, Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, the Dorsey Brothers and the like at the various venues they appeared at around the country.

Radio was the best way for those depression era families to let the cares of the times take a back seat for a while without hurting the family budget. However be it movies, dancing or using the imagination the main theme was the s ame, entertainment.

As we move into the second quarter of 2009 and as the economic news doesn't seem to be getting better as fast as we would like, the American public is once again asking for the magic of the films, music and the imagination the take them away for a short while to a place where the good guys win and all is right with world.

This is exactly where those of us at Jim French Productions are working hard to help take them... you to just that place. Harry Nile, Sherlock Holmes, Kincaid, Hilary Caine and the rest of our more then five hundred stories are dedicated to make this trying time a little less stressful and dark for the 25 to 50 minutes it takes to enjoy one of the modern audio plays we bring to the public through the local radio station, the internet, the Sirius/XM Satellite system, our CD volumes for sale or by direct download. Currently we have three new releases designed expressly to take the listeners to worlds where they get the bailout, for a short while at least, from bellowing politicians, talk show hosts, reality TV and warnings about switching to HD. Take a look at these:

THE HISTORY OF HARRY NILE VOLUME 21

6 Classic Harry Nile Episodes, 2 CD Set

1. COLD READING - A murder is recorded on tape and Harry has to not only find out whom the killer is he also has to figure out who the victim was since no one can find a body.

2. THE FIGHTER AND THE PHANTOM - Harry trys to help a young fighter who swears that a ghost is out to ruin his career.

3. THE IVOR LINDMAN MATTER - There's nothing like a straightforward case of murder, and this is nothing like a straightforward case of murder as Harry quickly discovers.

4. MODEL 386A - Harry is hired to keep the girlfriends of a two timing jewelry salesman from turning him into lunchmeat. Guest starring Cynthia Geary of "Northern Exposure."

5. THE HANDSHAKE - Harry is involved in a real estate deal that has all the earmarks of...well he can't quite figure it out. Guest starring Baseball Hall of Fame announcer Dave Neihaus.

6. THE CASE OF THE DESPERATE DEALER - Business partners should trust each other shouldn't they? In this case it doesn't hold true and Harry goes on the car chase of his life to prove it.

The price is $16.95 for the CD set or $12.00 as a download.

THE CLASSIC ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES VOL.S 5 & 6

In Volume 5 you'll hear

The Return of Sherlock Holmes - For the first time we've combine two of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic Holmes stories into an hour long adventure, "The Final Problem" first published December 1893 and "The Empty House." originally published in October of 1903.The first is the Holmes tale Doyle longed to write and the second is the story he was in all essence forced to write. In this feature length dramatization we set you on the path to the historical meeting between Holmes and Professor Moriarty and their infamous confrontation at the Reichenbach Falls. Then it's back to London and a world without Sherlock Holmes. What has become of Dr. Watson, Mrs. Hudson and how is Lestrade doing when it comes to solving the strange death of the Honorable Ronald Adair?

With over six minutes of added material not heard in the Broadcasted version.

And Volume 6 has:

The Blue Carbuncle - Holmes and Watson are literally on a "tame" goose chase in this adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Yule Time story of a stolen diamond, a lost felt hat and a bird in the hand.

Charles Augustus Milverton - Conan Doyle's tale of a master blackmailer and Sherlock Holmes' efforts to thwart him, why he'd even get married if it would help bring the villain down.

Each Single CD volume is $12.95 or as a download for only $7.00

And that's not all

Since the last Newsletter edition we have added 20 new plays to our library of $1.99 Single Episode downloads. New Harry Nile, Sherlock Holmes, Anthony Rathe, Crisis and Movies For Your Mind shows some never before released on CD or cassette.

COMING SOON:

The Adventures of Harry Nile Vol. 5

The Further Adventure of Sherlock Holmes Vol. 14

Kincaid, the Strangeseeker Vol. 6

The Anthony Rathe Chronicles

Masters of Mystery

The Hilary Caine Mysteries Vol. 3

Raffles, the Gentleman Thief Vol. 4

Old Time radio Stars on Imagination Theatre

WEEKLY CDS ARE A BIG HIT!!

Since we've made them available to the public we've sent out several hundred of the Weekly CDs all over the country. We have thousands of these CDs ready for you to order and add to your collection and remember these are the same discs that are sent out to the radio stations every week.

For week # 560 on down to the earliest number we still have the price is only $2.00 per disc. For any disc over 560 the price is still low at only $5.00 per. Believe it or not we're selling almost as many of the later CDs as we are the $2.00 shows.

Either way the caveat still applies; many of the weeks only have a few items left and once they're gone we won't be making any new ones for that week. So if there's a special Sherlock Holmes, Harry Nile or any of other series episodes you may have missed this would be the time to get them and for only two bucks.

Now to order all you have to do is go to www.harrynile on the web or call us on our toll free line 1-877-875-6453 Monday thru Friday if you are within U. S. borders or at 1-425-865-0458 if you're not.

Have your Visa or MasterCard ready and we'll be happy to get your Imagination Theatre CDs out to right away. If you'd rather pay by check or money order simply mail them to Jim French Productions 16215 SE. Roanoke Pl. Bellevue, WA. 98006 along with a complete description of what discs you'd like.

Get that one particular show or start collecting a whole series. Hurry while supplies last!

REMEMBER OUR NEXT LIVE RECORDING SESSION:

Monday June 8th at the Kirkland Performance Center keep an eye out for the announcement of what we'll be doing. The doors open at 7:00 pm with the show starting at 7:30, for tickets just call the Performance Center at 412-983-9900 or go online to www.kpcenter.org. That's Monday June 8th at the Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Avenue in Kirkland Washington

THIS ISSUES CAST MEMBER: ELLEN McLAIN

Ellen McLain is originally from Nashville, Tennessee. She was educated at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the New England Conservatory in Boston, where she received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees with Honors in Music, and is an award winner from the National Institute of Music Theatre in Washington D. C., where she's had the honor of performing at the White House.

On the concert stage she has appeared with the New York Choral Society, the Antonia Brico Symphony in Denver, the Nashville Symphony, Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, Cecelia Society and Musica Viva. Her work in opera is extensive, appearing as Adina in L'ELISIR D'AMORE and Norina in DON PASQUALE as well as creating the roles of the social worker and Sophia in such new works as X, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOM X and TWILIGHT VOICES, respectively. Equally at home in dramatic theatre and musical comedy, Ellen has played Magnolia in SHOW BOAT to sold out houses in Europe, performed on Broadway in MY FAIR LADY with Rex Harrison and with Peggy Lee in her show, PEG. She has toured nationally as Edith in THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, as Hannah in A COUPLE OF WHITE CHICKS SITTIN' AROUND TALKIN' and as Linda Loman in DEATH OF A SALESMAN.

Ellen's vocal versatility allows us to cast her in an almost limitless variety of roles in the Sherlock Holmes stories as well as many episodes of our other series. She currently has the running parts of Dorothy Leland and Miss Hasbrook in the "War Comes to Harry Nile" series and was Mrs. Barrymore in our version of "The Hound of the Baskervilles."

FROM THE MAIL BAG:

Let me say that Imagination Theatre week 678 was a very rare thing: a PERFECT broadcast! As with everything else, there are some weeks that the broadcast soars to greater heights than other weeks. This was one of those weeks. Your writing and direction on this last Harry Nile episode was at the TOP of your form and then, what do you do? You pull out one of the best Crisis episodes as well. Even your spot for single episode instant downloads was well crafted.
- Frank M.

I've been listening to imagination theater on WCCO 830 am. Fantastic. I love Radio Theater. Please keep up the good work. - Jacqueline P

"The Projectionist" was one of the best-written and produced radio dramas I have ever heard. Thank you. - Remo S.

You have won me over with your Sherlock and Nile series. As a listener on the Sirius satellite network your programs are a daily ritual for me. You must know that I am in love with Murphy (not Pat French). In her you have created the ideal woman smart, attractive redhead who is interested in adventure and never bored with the library. The characters of your Holmes mysteries are quite excellent. Just so you know Jeremy Brett's portrayal of Holmes is my all time favorite and you have seemed to garner a bit of the late Mr. Brett's hyper attentive Holmes who gets agitated with idleness and enjoys the chase more than the hounds. Thank you all for giving us the total enjoyment of pictures in the mind. My Murphy is perfect, Harry is the image of average Joe, Dr. Watson is a fit 50 something who can agilely keep up with the scampering Holmes. Yes you have given me the information to bring to life my own images of these important friends who visit me each Monday throug h Friday. - Boyd A.

A FAN’S REVIEW OF THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

This is without a doubt one of the finest audio adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's immensely popular story. John Patrick Lowrie's direction is first rate and M.J. Eliot's script is quite excellent. The sound of "the Hound" is got to be one of the most chilling sounds I've heard in radio to date and I've been a fan of radio dramas since I was around 12 years old. John Patrick Lowrie's interpretation of Holmes is right on the money. His rapid-fire delivery suggests that Holmes' mind just cannot slow down for the rest of we slower thinking denizens of a different mental plane. Lawrence Albert's Watson is a finely constructed performance of a solid, intelligent, loyal friend. He speaks his mind when he's not sure of Holmes' motives and never fails to be there when needed by Holmes. Dennis Bateman (spelling?) is the perfect Henry Baskerville. He doesn't sound like a Texan and doesn't sound British and everything about his performance is very robust an d quite like a titled gentleman should sound I think. The rest of the cast make this production perfectly balanced and well worth the listen. The talented people have even been praised by the BBC for their work. If you are indeed a Sherlock Holmes fan you can go no further for great listening of both the canon and new pastiches of the great detective and his friend's cases. - John R.

SEE YA'LL NEXT TIME

Monday, April 6, 2009

IAN RANKIN ~ GRAPHIC NOVEL!

IAN RANKIN ~ GRAPHIC NOVEL!

DC’s Vertigo is branching out into a new line: Vertigo Crime. The label will be dedicated to graphic novels in the crime and mystery genres, kicking off with two releases on Aug. 19: Brian Azzarello and Victor Santos’ pulpy FILTHY RICH and Ian Rankin and Werther Dell’Edera’s DARK ENTRIES. The latter is a John Constantine story written by the author of the Inspector Rebus novels. Lee Bermejo will provide covers for all the releases, which will be printed inside with appropriately noir-y black-and-white art.

THE CAT'S MEOW!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

QUOTE OF THE DAY!

WHY MEN DON'T TAKE MESSAGES!

THE CAT'S MEOW!

HAPPY!

TIKI OASIS 2009 ~ SAN DEIGO!

TIKI OASIS 2009 ~ SAN DEIGO!

Tiki Oasis 2009, San Deigo, CATiki Oasis is the largest and longest running Tiki Event on planet earth. A family produced event by Otto and Baby Doe von Stroheim of Tiki News Magazine the Tiki Oasis is the Tiki community’s annual reunion! Guests have the opportunity to honor historic sites and celebrate all aspects of Tiki Style. This lineup for this year’s event has been announced:

THURSDAY NIGHT!

Kick off the weekend on Thursday with a pre-party at the historic Bali Hai restaurant on Shelter Island. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with other Tiki enthusiasts and plan your Tiki Oasis calendar for the weekend. Live music & a burlesque showcase as well as DJ’s spinning vintage vinyl. Remember to make early dinner reservations at the Bali Hai restaurant. There is plenty of free parking at the Bali Hai but we recommend carpooling in taxis or hopping the WhereTours bus.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Doors 6:30 pm, Show 7:00 pm - 12 midnight

Featuring appearances by San Diego’s darlings, Sultry Savage Burlesque; Headline a full night of entertainment, King Kukulele

FRIDAY NIGHT!

Spend all day Friday lounging in the sun at the Crowne Plaza Tiki Lagoon and Pool. As the sun sets, the soothing sounds of Exotica fill the poolside gardens and guests prepare for an all-night Beach Party with live music, burlesque and Go-Go dancers, tiki fashion show, and late night Shindig dance party in the Kona Room with Bardot A Go Go, prizes and more!

** Please note the evening showcase is rated R for language and scantily clad vixens. May not be suitable for those 17 and under.**

Doors 5:30pm, Show 6:00pm - 12:00 midnight

SATURDAY POOLSIDE VENDING!

Shop around the Oasis in the Lahaina Bay Rom, luau lawn, and Artist’s Alley. If it’s Tiki, it’s for sale here! Cruise the Woody car show in the parking lot and see the wheels of Surf history. Enjoy poolside antics such as Dj’s spinning vintage vinyl, live music from The Waikiki Beachcombers, dancers and more!

10:00am - 4:00pm Vending
4:00pm - 6:00 pm Chill out poolside

SATURDAY AFTERNOON SYMPOSIUMS!

Tiki Tike Playroom and Book Signings Galore
Book signings include Derek Yaniger “Wildesville”, Domenic and Brian “Pop Surf Culture”, Jay Strongman and Holden Westland “Tiki Mugs”, Shag TBA

You do not need to be a Tiki Oasis ticket holder or hotel guest to purchase tickets to the symposia. Arrive early as admission is first come first serve basis. Festival seating.

SATURDAY EVENING SHOWCASE!

Aqua Surf shop presents a night of new Surf flicks in the Kona Room - bring your own popcorn, blankets, pillows, beach balls and lawn chairs!

** Please note the evening showcase is rated R for language and scantily clad vixens. May not be suitable for those 17 and under.**

SUNDAY AFTERNOON MARKETPLACE!

Take a Sunday stroll through the poolside bazaar and Artist Alley featuring over fifty vendors, enjoy educational Experts Symposiums, LIVE tiki carving courtesy of San Diego’s Chop Chop, groove to the tunes of DJ’s while relaxing in the pool, join in on the legendary Iuka Grogg’s Uke jam, and it is all FREE and open to the public!

Vending
10:00am - 4:00pm

Entertainment
12:00 noon - 1:00 pm

TO GET TICKET AND HOTEL INFORMATION CLICK HERE


A TIP OF THE TIKI TO TIKI TALK

NEW FROM AMAZON.COM!


NEW FROM AMAZON.COM!

CAT-IN-A-BOX. I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU ORDER ONE OF THESE FROM AMAZON, BUT THEY MIGHT JUST BE VERY PISSED OFF WHEN YOU OPEN THE BOX.

THANKS FOR A LAUGH TO EURO CRIME

JAGGER ~ TIME SERVED!

JAGGER ~ TIME SERVED!

From Airship 27 Productions and Cornerstone Book Publishers comes a brand new pulp series filled with suspense, action and mystery.

Upon his return home, Marine James Jagger wanted nothing more than to start a new life with, Michelle, the girl he loved. Alas a cruel twist of fate sends him spiraling down a nightmarish detour. Wrongly accused and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, Jagger spends the next seven years of his life behind bars.

Now on parole, he discovers a sadistic child predator is terrorizing a small New England town. An old friend from the past begs him to help save these innocent children. But to do so, Jagger will have to break parole and jeopardize his newfound freedom. First time novelist, Jared L.Cantin, delivers a fast paced, modern thriller that echoes the suspense of classic pulp adventures. In doing so he creates a new, modern hero for our times.

Featuring a classic pulp crime cover by Rob Davis and Shane Evans and edited by pulp writer Ron Fortier, Airship 27 Prod. is proud to present JAGGER – TIME SERVED, the first in a brand new series featuring ex-Marine warrior, James Jagger. Airship 27 Prod. pulp fiction for a new generation.

ISBN: 1-934935-51-4
Produced by Airship 27
Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers
Release date: 04/03/2009
Retail Price: $24.95

COOL BOOKCASE!

COOL BOOKCASE!

AMAZING DESIGN BY RON ARAD WOULD LOOK GREAT ON A WALL BIG ENOUGH TO DO IT JUSTICE.

SERIAL VIGILANTES OF PAPERBACK FICTION!

SERIAL VIGILANTES OF PAPERBACK FICTION!

THIS IS ONE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!


SERIAL VIGILANTES OF PAPERBACK FICTION: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA FROM ABLE TEAM TO Z-COMM ~ BY BRAD MENGEL ~ AVAILABLE SUMMER 2009!

Rough justice has often been served in the pages of serial novels, notably beginning with Don Pendleton’s The Executioner in 1969. This is the first overview of the serial vigilante genre, which featured such hard-boiled protagonists as Nick Carter, Mark Stone, Jake Brand and Able Team among the 130 series that followed Pendleton’s novel. Serial vigilantes repeatedly take the law into their own hands, establishing and imposing their own moral standards, usually by force. The book examines the connections between the serial vigilante and the pulp hero that preceded him and how the serial vigilante has influenced a variety of tough guys, private eyes, spies and cops in different media. A complete bibliography for each series is featured.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brad Mengel works in Australia’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He’s contributed critical analysis to Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe and short fiction to Tales of the Shadowmen Vol. 3.

ISBN 978-0-7864-4165-5

A TIP OF THE GAT TO WIN SCOTT ECKERT

BEAT TO A PULP #17 ~ PREFERRED CUSTOMER BY MIKE SHEETER!

BEAT TO A PULP #17 ~ PREFERRED CUSTOMER BY MIKE SHEETER!

Why is this man in the picture behind bars? I’m not sure but BEAT to a PULP has his latest story.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mike Sheeter's short fiction has appeared in Thuglit, Crime Spree, Spinetingler, Hardluck Stories, Muzzle Flash, and Out of the Gutter.

TO READ THE STORY CLICK HERE

Next week: "Maker’s and Coke" by Jake HinksonComing Soon: Travis Erwin's "Y Not"

COCKTAIL NATION #68 ~TIKI SHARK JUMP ONBOARD!

COCKTAIL NATION #68 ~TIKI SHARK JUMP ONBOARD!

Koop Kooper on a special edition of the cocktail nation as we name a new sponsor of the show ~ Tiki Shark! Good friend of the show Brad Parker and his associates have decided to use this radio show and podcast to tell the world about their fantastic tiki inspired products with the season’s new beach towels hitting shops along the east coast of the state.


TO CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE CLICK HERE

On the show this week, a new Sinatra album and we will hear from the man himself on the art of crooning. There's a new Bond museum opened up, so we'll check that out. Also, some brand new music from the SG Sound, the Tiki Cowboys, and the Stolen Idols

PLAYLIST:

Eartha Kitt ~I want to be Evil

Diana Krall ~ So Nice

Frank Sinatra ~ More

Charles Williams ~ Workroom

Waitiki ~ Hula Lady

Jimmy Vargas ~ Black Widow

Fire and Theft ~ Segu Save Algo

Stolen Idols ~ On Tonga Shores

Scott Walker ~ It's Raining Today

Enoch Light ~ April in Portugal

Tiki Cowboys ~ Tiki Lady

Russ Garcia ~ Sophisticated Lady

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy ~ Come on with the Come on

SG Sound ~ Satellite Feed

Yoshinori Sunahara ~ Theme from Take-Off

TO DOWNLOAD CLICK HERE

Saturday, April 4, 2009

AN EVENING AT THE BUDDIES LOUNGE #51!

AN EVENING AT THE BUDDIES LOUNGE #51!

The “BIG W” is BACK! Come join him as he continues to explorer, with drink in hand, the Space-Age Pop Hi-Fi musical sounds of the 1950’s and 1960’s! Slip on your Smoking Jacket, shake a Martini, then sit back and enjoy the warm Hi-Fi sounds of “An Evening At The Buddies Lounge”...as always, presented in Living Stereo! Bottoms Up!

PLAYLIST:

• Bluesette - Steve Lawrence
• Heat Wave - Buddy Cole
• Comin’ Home Baby - Mel Tormé
• Everybody Loves A Lover - Andre Kostelanetz
• I’m Not The Marrying Kind - Dean Martin
• There They Go - Hugo Montenegro
• There Is Nothin’ Like A Dame - Sammy Davis, Jr.
• Come Along With Me - Nelson Riddle
• I’ve Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra
• Latin-Esque - Esquivel
• Simba - Les Baxter
• Stone God - Martin Denny
• Stumbling - Tak Shindo
• I Want To Hold Your Hand - Keely Smith
• Timothy - Henry Mancini
• I Believe In You - Peggy Lee
• Night Train - Ames Brothers
• Apples, Peaches And Cherries - Smothers Brothers
• A Foggy Day - Don Ralke
• Continental Holiday - Peter Nero

TO DOWNLOAD CLICK HERE

LDS HUMOR!

CAN I GET A LITTLE HELP HERE!

THE RED PANDA #45 – JUNGLE OF TERROR!

THE RED PANDA #45 – JUNGLE OF TERROR!

AVAILABLE NOW FROM DECODER RING THEATRE ~

When an emergency message arrives from an old friend from half a world away, the Terrific Twosome of Toronto race against time to reach the savage beauty of the Amazon. But will they reach the downed aviator in time, or are they destined to share his doom in the Jungle of Terror?

TO DOWNLOAD CLICK HERE

Friday, April 3, 2009

THE CURVED SABER: THE OFFICIAL HAROLD LAMB SITE!

THE CURVED SABER: THE OFFICIAL HAROLD LAMB SITE!

FOUR NEW HAROLD LAMB COLLECTIONS ARE COMING FROM BISON BOOKS IN 2009 AND 2010.

SWORDS FROM THE WEST: A COLLECTION OF HAROLD LAMB'S THRILLING CRUSADER STORIES.

SWORDS FROM THE DESERT: A SET OF NOVELLAS AND SHORT STORIES WITH ARABIAN HEROES.

SWORDS FROM THE EAST: A COLLECTION BRIMMING WITH ADVENTURES SET DEEP IN MONGOLIA AND HIGH ASIA.

SWORDS FROM THE SEA: A GRAB BAG OF STORIES SET ON OR NEAR THE OCEAN, INCLUDING TWO NOVELLAS OF JOHN PAUL JONES, EIGHT VIKING YARNS, AND A SHORT NOVEL OF AMERICA'S WAR AGAINST THE BARBARY PIRATES.

WOLF OF THE STEPPES, WARRIORS OF THE STEPPES, RIDERS OF THE STEPPES, AND SWORDS OF THE STEPPES ARE AVAILABLE NOW.

TO CHECK OUT THE CURVED SABER WEBSITE CLICK HERE

SABATINI’S CAPTAIN BLOOD!

SABATINI’S CAPTAIN BLOOD!

Written by Matthew Shepherd
Illustrated by Mike Shoyket

This summer the Caribbean runs red with blood, Captain Blood as SLG Publishing, the company that brought you Tron, Wonderland and Haunted Mansion turns it's attention to the coolest pirate story of all time; Captain Blood, His Oddyssey.

All Peter Blood wanted was to be left alone. A doctor living in 17th century England, Blood spends his days tending to his patients and reminiscing about his time adventuring through Europe. Blood soon winds up on the wrong side of a rebellion and is sentenced to ten years of hard labor on the island of Barbados. Escaping slavery, Blood begins his career as a pirate and becomes one of the most famous Pirates in the Caribbean as well as one of literature's best anti-heroes. Captain Blood’s Odyssey is an adaptation of the Rafael Sabatini novel of the same name. Later adapted into the 1935 movie starring Errol Flynn, the 1922 book was a smash hit and launched numerous sequels. Adapted for the first time to comic book form, Captain Blood’s Odyssey is a very faithful adaptation of the popular novel.

TO VIEW THE TRAILER CLICK HERE

AGE OF ADVENTURE: AIR HEROES - NOW AVAILABLE!

AGE OF ADVENTURE: AIR HEROES - NOW AVAILABLE!

AIR HEROES COLLECTS 5 FANTASTIC ADVENTURES OF THE AVIATION HEROES OF HILLMAN COMICS THAT FANS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR!

THESE COMICS FEATURED SOME OF THE BEST ARTWORK OF THE GOLDEN AGE WITH WILD VILLAINS, TWO FISTED HEROES, AND SEXY HEROINES! ITS ACES FOR ACTION LOVERS!

PRINT: $6.00
DOWNLOAD: $2.00

SATURDAY NIGHT DIRT!

SATURDAY NIGHT DIRT!

FLASHING BACK TO THE MOTOR RACING NOVELS OF WILLIAM CAMPBELL GAULT, SATURDAY NIGHT DIRT BY WILL WEAVER IS A NOSTALGIC BLAST . . .


It’s a sizzling summer Saturday, and Headwaters Speedway is suddenly the place to be. Thanks to rainouts across the state, this small-town dirt track is drawing big-time stock cars and local drivers. First up: Trace Bonham in his Street Stock Chevy that’s sure to be a winner, if only he can figure out why it’s acting up. Next is Beau Kim: his Modified is patched together from whatever parts he could scrape up. And on the outside, moving in fast: Amber Jenkins, a strawberry blonde who has what it takes to run rings around them all. Keeping everyone on track is Melody Walters: she knows that the impending rain might be exactly what they need to keep her father’s speedway afloat—or sink it for good.

MOONSTONE'S DOMINO LADY ~ NOW AVAILABLE!

MOONSTONE'S DOMINO LADY ~ NOW AVAILABLE!

A mystery hero like no other. With the most dangerous weapon of all...

Los Angeles, the 1930's. The city of angels. Attracting beautiful people from all over the world with its glitz and glamour. But just beneath the surface is a city stinking of corruption with criminal bosses and politicians squeezing the life out of the city.

Stunned and enraged by the murder of her crusading politician father, beautiful socialite Ellen Patrick becomes determined to bring her father¹s killers to justice...at any cost. A talented Berkley graduate, she knows that to truly fight the men who killed her father she must break all the rules. Donning a distinctive white dress and a black domino mask, she becomes The Domino Lady, one of the sexiest -- and most elusive -- crime fighters of all time.

The greatest adventurers and detectives of all time join her: The Phantom, Sherlock Holmes, The Black Bat and Airboy. Nine all-new tales of one of the world's first female masked crime fighter, by Nancy Holder, Chuck Dixon, CJ Henderson, Martin Powell, Ron Fortier, James Chambers, Bobby Nash, Gail McCabe, Lisa Bandemer. Introduction: Mystery Writers of America Raven Award winner Joan Hansen!

Limited edition hardcover available. Exclusive to this edition extras: a sexy romp original Domino Lady story by Lisa Bandemer, a new Domino Lady radio script drama, a hot pin-up section and a photo of the Domino Lady!

Trade Paperback - $16.95
Hardcover - $48.95

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

ASHES TO ASHES ~ SEASON TWO!

ASHES TO ASHES ~ SEASON TWO!

FANS OF LIFE ON MARS EITHER LOVE OR HATE (MOSTLY HATE) THIS FOLLOW UP SERIES. PERSONALLY, I’M IN THE MIDDLE. I’LL CERTAINLY WATCH SERIES TWO, BUT IT’S NOT MUST SEE TV LIKE THE ORIGINAL . . .


The Quattro's fired up and fashion sense has been thrown out of the window as the second series of hit BBC One drama Ashes To Ashes returns!

Winner of the Best New Drama category at the 2008 TV Quick Awards, series one of Ashes To Ashes cemented its position as one of the TV highlights of 2008 after more than eight million viewers tuned in to see DI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) arrive with a bang in 1981.

Series two kicks off in 1982 where leg warmers are cool, fluorescent is the colour of choice, Thatcher is in her element and bullish DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) is back, policing the streets in his politically incorrect and loud-mouthed style. Sassy Alex Drake, with whom Hunt shares a fiery working relationship, is by his side, desperately trying to keep him in line.

Though no nearer to getting back to her daughter, Alex believes she is suspended in time and finally understands how the world around her works. But when she starts hearing news from the future, she realises nothing is as it seems.

Clinging on to fast-fading hope, she discovers she may not be alone in her predicament. A mysterious stranger who also seems to be stuck in 1982 is making Alex doubt that her current world is merely a figment of her imagination. Is he a friend who can help her get home or a foe who will destroy all she knows?

And while Gene Hunt saved her younger self from the car bomb that killed her parents, can she ever trust him enough to share in her extraordinary scenario? As she struggles to stay alive long enough to find a way home, it appears she needs him more than ever before.

Produced by Kudos Film and Television in association with Monastic Productions, this new series also sees the return of Gene and Alex's top team: DS Ray Carling (Dean Andrews), DC Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster) and WPC Sharon "Shaz" Granger (Montserrat Lombard).

Chris and Shaz couldn't be happier. He's still trying his best to be the perfect "feminist" boyfriend and wants to take his relationship to the next level, but predictably Ray continues to tease him about his romantic gestures.

Ray is also struggling to contain his emotions about the Falklands War, blaming the "Argies" and throwing his weight fully behind Maggie Thatcher. However, more testing times lie ahead for the trio...

Producer Beth Willis says: "The new series moves in a slightly different direction and we've really enjoyed developing the characters and Alex's journey further. Gene and Alex's relationship is so complex; it is very sparky and they obviously care for each other in a begrudging manner so it's interesting to see how this evolves.

"Ray and Chris are still by Gene's side, but when force legend Detective Superintendent "Supermac" Mackintosh (Roger Allam) starts working with the team it looks as if Gene's equilibrium could be broken."

The arrival of Supermac seems like a blessing to the team because he's been hailed as a star within the force and someone not to be messed with. However, it's not long before Gene's gut instinct tells him something isn't quite right. Could this cop legend be up to no good?

Piers Wenger, Head of Drama, BBC Wales, adds: "Last year, Ashes to Ashes was a highlight of the BBC One drama schedule and delighted over eight million drama fans and 1980s devotees alike.

"Series two combines the same mix of compelling crime stories, outrageous fashion and blistering one-liners with some bold and brilliant new plot twists.

"Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah's scripts continue to thrill while bravura performances from Philip Glenister and Keeley Hawes mean that Ashes is back with a bang!"

Ashes To Ashes is written and created by Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah, two of the creators of award-winning drama Life On Mars.

THE LAST OLYMPIAN!

THE LAST OLYMPIAN!

COMING MAY 19TH!

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Rick Riordan is the author of the first three books in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series: The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titan s Curse. His previous novels for adults include the hugely popular Tres Navarre series, winner of the top three awards in the mystery genre. He lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

FORGOTTEN BOOKS: SEMI-TOUGH BY DAN JENKINS!

FORGOTTEN BOOKS: SEMI-TOUGH BY DAN JENKINS!

Semi-Tough is rude, crude, vulgar, as politically incorrect as flatuating in church, sexist, semi-pornographic, and racially divisive. It’s also the funniest damn book about pro football ever written. There may be a better novel about pro football (although, I’ve never read one), but there sure as heck isn’t one as readable and laugh out loud. Don’t be turned off by memories of the forgettable Burt Reynolds movie (The Longest Yard was his best football outing), come on and read this gem and be offended by the source material.

Dan Jenkins is a sports writing gem. His golf novels are must reads, but all of his style and humor stems from this Texas influenced tales of two good-old-bad-old boys, Billy Clyde Puckett and Shake Tiller – both stars for the New York Giants getting ready to take on the dog-ass NY Jets in the Super Bowl – and their one true love Barbara Jane Bookman. This is the ‘70’s, folks, with all its bad fashions, sexual revolutions, and drug excesses.


I recently re-read, or actually listened to on CD, Semi-Tough and almost crashed the car twice and nearly did myself an inury trying not to laugh too hard. Read and believe - and laugh even when you shouldn't.

KINKY SHERLOCK?

KINKY SHERLOCK!

HERE'S SOME CRINGE INDUCING DETAILS REGARDING THE UPCOMING GUY RITCHIE DIRECTED, ROBERT DOWNEY JR. STARRING, SHERLOCK HOLMES FILM SET FOR REALESE CHRISTMAS DAY 2009 . . .

LAS VEGAS — Leave it to Robert Downey Jr. to turn Sherlock Holmes into a wisecracking action hero who ends up handcuffed naked to a bed.

Downey offered a sneak peek Tuesday of "Sherlock Holmes," his new take on the cerebral detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Theater owners attending their annual ShoWest convention got to see Downey's Holmes in a bruising boxing match, diving from a tall building into London's Thames River and trading barbs with roommate Dr. Watson (Jude Law), who complains about the detective's slovenliness and nocturnal violin playing.

"Holmes, does your depravity know no bounds?" Watson asks the detective.

In one scene, the unclothed Holmes finds himself cuffed by both hands to a bed.

Downey also turns the detective into something of a ladies man as his Holmes gets a romantic interest (Rachel McAdams). Conan Doyle's Holmes lived a monk's life, save for one purely platonic dalliance with a female foil whose intellect he greatly admired.

FOR MORE DETAILS CLICK HERE

LIFE ON MARS: SAM RUNS OUT OF TIME!

LIFE ON MARS: SAM RUNS OUT OF TIME!

TV GUIDE.COM HAS A NICE PIECE OF THE FINALE OF THE AMERICAN VERSION OF THIS BRILLIANT SERIES . . .

In a rare instance of mutual forethought and cooperation between producers and a network, ABC's Life on Mars will wrap up its abbreviated freshman run this Wednesday at 10 pm/ET with a proper series finale, bringing to a close Detective Sam Tyler's time-tripping odyssey. Here, executive producers Scott Rosenberg and Josh Appelbaum reflect on their Mars journey, reveal the one song that done them wrong, preview the "straight-out scary" follow-up they have planned, and promise closure for fans of their previous project, October Road.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE

THE CAT'S MEOW!

AMC PRISONER POSTER!

AMC PRISONER POSTER

DARK HORIZONS POINTS THE WAY TO A COOL NEW NUMBER 2-CENTRIC POSTER FOR AMC'S UPCOMING PRISONER TV REMAKE AT IO9. THE POSTER COMES FROM THE MIPTV CONFERENCE IN CANNES.

A SHRUG OF THE SHOULDER HOLSTER TO THE DOUBLE O SECTION

CHURCH SIGNS!

CHURCH SIGNS!

This is literally a 'church signs' debate being played out in a Southern US town, between Our Lady of Martyrs Catholic Church, and Cumberland Presbyterian, a fundamentalist church. From top to bottom shows you the response and counter-response over time. The Catholics are displaying a much better sense of humor! You get the impression that the Presbyterians are actually taking this seriously and are getting a bit upset....
CLICK TO ENLARGE

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

HERB ALPERT @ VIBRATO!

HERB ALPERT @ VIBRATO!

NO TIME TO POST TODAY ~ OFF TO SEE HERB ALPERT PERFORMING AT AT HIS OWN JAZZ CLUB, VIBRATO. CAN'T WAIT!