Promotion Archives - Black Mask

Pulp Con Season Starts in Two Weeks

Al Tonik, auction, awards, Doc Savage, Fu Manchu, Munsey, Promotion, pulp cons, Registration, Rusty Hevelin Comments Off

Mar 242013

With April approaching, the pulp con season begins. First up will be the Los Angeles Vintage Paperback Show, followed by the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention beginning April 12th. PulpFest committee members Jack Cullers, Mike Chomko, and Ed Hulse (who will be releasing a new issue of Blood ‘n’ Thunder) will all be there with information about PulpFest 2013.

A couple of weeks after Windy City, the South’s leading “pulp culture” convention, Pulp Ark will take place in Springdale, Arkansas while Canada’s premier pulp event, the Fantastic Pulps Show & Sale, will be held May 11th in Toronto. About a week later, Morris, Illinois will host the 2013 Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship Gathering while Columbus, Ohio will be home to Cinevent 45 over Memorial Day weekend.

June 7th and 8th are the dates for Robert E. Howard Days in the author’s home town of Cross Plains, Texas. Still to be announced is the date for the spring edition of Classicon, but the Derby City Comic Con will go off on June 29th in Louisville, Kentucky.

Of course, all of these events are a prelude for the best pulp event of all, the summertime destination for fans and collectors of vintage popular fiction and related materials, PulpFest 2013. This year, we’ll be celebrating Doc Savage and the pulp heroes of 1933 and the centennial of the villainous Dr. Fu Manchu. Our guests will include Will Murray, author of twelve Doc Savage novels, including the just-released King Kong crossover, Skull Island; Lamont Award winner Don Hutchison, leading pulp anthologist and author of The Great Pulp Heroes and numerous articles about the pulps; Nathan Madison, author of Anti-Foreign Imagery in American Pulps and Comics, 1920-1960; William Patrick Maynard, the writer authorized to continue the Fu Manchu series; and pulp art expert David Saunders. There will also be a showing of the complete movie serial, The Spider’s Web, produced by Columbia Pictures in 1938.

PulpFest is now accepting registrations for this year’s convention, running July 25th-28th. From our registration page, you’ll be able to download our member and dealer registration forms. You can pay for memberships and dealer tables through our Paypal order page. You’ll also be able to book a room at the Hyatt Regency Columbus at the convention rate of $112 plus tax via our special link to the hotel.

We are also happy to once again supply a third table free of charge to dealers who stay at the Hyatt and rent two tables in our hucksters’ room. That’s three tables for the price of two, or six for the price of four. The massive size of the Regency Ballroom enables us to provide this extra exhibit space to loyal PulpFest dealers. Remember, this special offer is good only to dealers staying at the host hotel.

With about a quarter of the vast collection of pulp researcher Al Tonik tucked away in storage, PulpFest is delighted to report that the remainder of Albert’s superlative library of hardcovers, paperbacks, pulps, dime novels, comic books, fanzines, art books, and reference books will be sold during our Saturday night auction on July 27th. For additional details, including a link to the catalog, please visit the Tonik Auction page under our Auctions button.

All this and more can be found by clicking the buttons along the left side of our home page. And don’t forget, you can make your nominations for the 2013 Munsey and Rusty Hevelin Service Awards through the end of April. Please send the name of the person that you’d like to nominate and a short paragraph describing your reasons for your nomination to Mike Chomko, 2217 W. Fairview St., Allentown, PA 18104-6542 or to mike@pulpfest.com.

In the coming weeks, PulpFest will start previewing its highly respected programming on this site. So please visit often. We look forward to seeing you July 25th through July 28th.

This year’s Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention will be saluting ninety years of science fiction and fantasy magazines including the August 1923 issue of Hugo Gernsback’s Science and Invention magazine, its “Scientific Fiction Number” which sported front cover art by Howard V. Brown. The scan is from the January 31, 2012 Tellers of Weird Tales.

Spring Training for PulpFest

Burroughs, Cinevent, Classicon, Fantastic pulps, Promotion, Pulp Ark, pulp cons, Robert E. Howard, vintage paperbacks, Windy City Comments Off

Feb 242013

With spring comes baseball, pulp cons, and paperback shows. Leading off is the 34th annual Los Angeles Vintage Paperback Show. This one-day show will feature appearances by over forty writers including James Blaylock, Dennis Etchison, William F. Nolan, and Harry Turtledove, all of them very happy to sign your books. It will take place on Sunday, April 7th, at the Valley Inn and Conference Center in Mission Hills, California.

The Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention is in the number two hole. Now in its 13th year, this Chicago-area event will be celebrating ninety years of science-fiction and fantasy magazines with salutes to Weird Tales and the “Scientific Fiction Number” of Hugo Gernsback’s Science and Invention. There will also be an auction featuring pulps from the Jerry Weist estate. The Windy will be held at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center from April 12th – 14th.

The three spot features the South’s leading “pulp culture” convention, Pulp Ark. A writers’ conference and pulp convention, it focuses on the methodology of pulp fiction, storytelling involving “action, adventure, larger-than-life heroes and villains, and a strong focus on both plot and characterization.” Featuring guest appearances by Joe Devito, Martin Powell, and Paul Bishop, Pulp Ark will take place April 26th – 28th at the Holiday Inn Springdale Hotel and Convention Center in Springdale, Arkansas.

Batting clean-up on May 11th is Canada’s premier pulp event, the 17th annual Fantastic Pulps Show & Sale at the Lillian H. Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library in Toronto, Ontario. You can learn more about this small, pulp-specific show by writing to Girasol Collectables, 3501 Glen Erin Drive, Suite 1409, Mississauga, ON, Canada L5L 2E9 or via email at info@girasolcollectables.com.

Penciled in to follow on May 17th – 19th is the 2013 Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship (ECOF) Gathering, hosted by the Chicago Muckers, the regional chapter of the Burroughs Bibliophiles. It will be held at the Quality Inn in Morris, Illinois and feature artist Mike Hoffman as its guest of honor.

Cinevent 45 is slotted in at number six, taking place over Memorial Day weekend, May 24th – 27th. In addition to 170 tables of movie-related collectibles such as posters, lobby cards, presskits, DVDs, and 16 mm films, Cinevent features an extensive schedule of classic sound and silent films and one of the country’s largest live auctions of vintage posters. It will be held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Robert E. Howard Days is installed as the number seven hitter on June 7th & 8th at the the Robert E. Howard House & Museum in Cross Plains, Texas. This annual gathering of fans of Two-Gun Bob Howard is presented by Project Pride of Cross Plains and sponsored by the Robert E. Howard Foundation, with help from the members of the Robert E. Howard United Press Association. Tim Truman, artist and writer for Dark Horse Comics, will be guest of honor.

Pinch-hitting sometime later this spring is Classicon 43, one of the first pulp and paperback shows ever established. Featuring 35 tables and thousands of collectible pulp magazines, paperbacks, vintage comic books, original artwork, and more, it is held twice a year in Lansing, Michigan. For further information, write to the Curious Book Shop at 304 East Grand River Avenue, East Lansing, Michigan 48823 or by email at cbsmail@curiousbooks.com.

At the bottom of the line-up is the best pulp event of all, the summertime destination for fans and collectors of vintage popular fiction and related materials, PulpFest 2013. Join us from July 25th through July 28th at the Hyatt Regency Columbus for summer’s great pulp con, celebrating eighty years of Doc Savage and the pulp heroes of 1933 and the centennial of Sax Rohmer’s villainous Dr. Fu Manchu!

The art above includes Ray Johnson’s cover to the Avon Books edition of Jack Williamson’s The Green Girl (1950); Margaret Brundage’s sadistic Weird Tales cover from March 1936, often associated with Paul Ernst’s Doctor Satan story printed in that issue; Virgil Finlay’s cover to the March 1949 issue of Fantastic Novels, doctored by Neil Mechem of Girasol Collectables; Conan, as depicted by Margaret Brundage for the August 1934 number of Weird Tales; and Walter Baumhofer’s classic rendition of “The Man of Bronze” from the March 1933 issue of Doc Savage Magazine.

Happy Holidays from PulpFest

Doc Savage, hero pulps, Promotion, PulpFest Comments Off

Dec 222012

Here’s wishing everyone the happiest of holiday seasons. As we near 2013 and the eightieth anniversary of the “hero pulp explosion,” when characters such as Doc Savage, G-8, The Spider, and The Phantom Detective were introduced to the reading public, let’s hope there’s a copy of your favorite pulp magazine tucked into Santa’s sack to help tide you over until April 12th, when the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention will begin in the Chicago area.

After you’ve finished celebrating the winter holidays, please stop back at the PulpFest website as we gear up for next Summer’s Great Pulp Con. Better still, sign up for our email updates by filling in the little gray box titled “E-Mail List” right here on our home page. And while you’re at it, why not “like” our facebook page as more than 500 others have done. You can also follow PulpFest on Twitter.

Many thanks to Keith “Kez” Wilson for allowing us to use his Rescuing Rudolph fantasy Doc Savage cover, based on James Bama’s painting for the Bantam edition of Quest of Qui. You can see more of Kez’s great cover spoofs at his Doc Savage Fantasy Cover Gallery.

Falling Leaves and Pulp Cons

Classicon, Doc Con, Gotham Pulp Collectors, Gryphon Books, Promotion, Pulp Adventurecon, pulp cons Comments Off

Oct 062012

While awaiting the arrival of PulpFest 2013, there are several regional conventions that will help satisfy your pulp interests during the autumn months. Scattered around the country, these more intimate gatherings of pulp fans are a great deal of fun and are very deserving of your support.

The 24th Annual NYC Collectable Paperback & Pulp Fiction Expo will be held on Sunday, October 14th at the Holiday Inn, 440 West 57th Street in New York City. This show, sponsored by Gary Lovisi’s Gryphon Books, always features a long guest list.

Doc Con 2012 will be held in Glendale, Arizona fr0m October 19th through the 21st at Comfort Suites University of Phoenix Stadium. Enthusiasts from around the country will be at this convention dedicated to Lester Dent’s Doc Savage.

Rich Harvey’s Pulp AdventureCon will take place Saturday, November 10th from 10 AM until 5 PM. This one-day show is a very enjoyable event, held once a year at the Ramada Inn in Bordentown, just off Exit 7 of the New Jersey Turnpike.

On November 17th, one week after Pulp AdventureCon, Ray Walsh will be holding the 42nd Classicon at the University Quality Inn in Lansing, Michigan. It is one of the longest running pulp and paperback gatherings in the country.

On the second Saturday of each and every month, the Gotham Pulp Collectors Club meets to talk about pulps and pulp collecting at the Hudson Park Library in Manhattan.

And please continue to visit the PulpFest website regularly for exciting news about next year’s convention.

Many thanks to the Fantasy Ink blog for providing the cover scan for the January 1931 issue of Macfadden‘s Ghost Stories.

Start Making Plans for PulpFest 2013!

facebook, Promotion, PulpFest, Twitter Comments Off

Aug 122012

PulpFest 2012 is drawing to a close, but there is still time to get in on the action. The dealers’ room will be open from 9 AM until 2 PM today. With most of our dealers getting ready to head for home, our admission for the day is only $5. There are no programming events scheduled for Sunday.

If you were not able to attend PulpFest in 2012, start making your plans right now to join the 42nd year of “The Summer’s Great Pulp Con” in 2013. The PulpFest committee will start making plans for next year’s convention within the next month.

To keep informed about PulpFest 2013, bookmark http://www.pulpfest.com/ and visit often. News about the convention can also be found on the PulpFest Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/PulpFest. And for those who prefer their news short and sweet, follow our Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/pulpfest. Finally, there’s our email list. It’s the gray box to the right of this post. Subscribe to our list and be the first on your block to get news about PulpFest.

Many thanks to all those who attended this year’s convention. We hope everyone will be able to make it to PulpFest 2013!

Win with Doc Savage or The Spider

audiobooks, Doc Savage, Promotion, Radio Archives, THE SPIDER Comments Off

Aug 012012

Thanks to Tom Brown and Radio Archives, the leading producer of old time radio collections and pulp audiobooks, PulpFest 2012 will be giving away one door prize on Thursday, two door prizes on Friday, and two more on Saturday. We have five terrific Radio Archives audiobooks featuring superb readings of three Spider yarns and two Doc Savage adventures. Of course, you have to be at the convention for a chance to win one of these great prizes.

We’ll be awarding one audiobook per evening and one audiobook about noontime on Friday and Saturday. So if you plan to be at PulpFest 2012 from August 9 through August 12, you’ll have a chance to take home a free Radio Archives audiobook. Wow!!!

Donations to the Cause

contributions, donations, giveaways, Promotion Comments Off

Aug 012012

As happens every year, PulpFest 2012 will be giving away a variety of books and other items to our attendees. We would like to thank the following organizations for their generous contributions to our convention:

Book Source Magazine for sending copies of their magazine for free distribution at PulpFest.

Neil and Leigh Mechem of Girasol Collectables for their extremely generous donation of back numbers from their Pulp Doubles series, each featuring two adventures of The Spider.

Gordon Van Gelder and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, the award-winning magazine that celebrated its sixtieth anniversary in 2009, for donating a large quantity of back issues to give to our members.

Engle Publishing for sending copies of The Paper & Advertising Collectors’ Marketplace for distribution free of charge at PulpFest.

Tom Brown and Radio Archives, the leading producer of old time radio collections and pulp audiobooks, for sending sample CDs of their superb readings of old pulp yarns as well as five complete audiobooks for doorprizes.

Greg Shepard and Stark House Press, publisher of some of the best mystery and supernatural fiction of the past hundred years, for their very generous donation of several cartons of their top-notch books.

We’d also like to thank Acorn Bookshop, Blue Jacket Books, Bonnett’s Bookstore, Dark Star Books, Duncan Books, The Dust Jacket, Karen Wickliff Books, Mavericks Cards and Comics, and the many book fairs and conventions that helped us promote our convention.

Pulp Con Time

Cinevent, Classicon, Conan, conventions, Fantastic pulps, Promotion, Pulp Ark, pulp con, Robert E. Howard, Tarzan, Windy City Comments Off

Apr 082012

In two weeks, the pulp con season begins with the second edition of Pulp Ark. Running April 20th through the 22nd, it will be held in Batesville, Arkansas, nestled in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Not only is Pulp Ark the only southern-based pulp convention, it is also the leading convention for the “new pulp” genre, a type of fiction grounded in the pulps of yore. A showing of Tarzan, Lord of the Louisiana Jungle, a documentary on the making of the 1918 silent film Tarzan of the Apes, will be part of the festivities as well as the presentation of the 2012 Pulp Ark Awards. Congratulations to all of the winners. Click on the Pulp Ark logo above to learn more details about this new pulp convention.

One week later, the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention will take place in the Chicago suburb of Lombard, IL. Celebrating Edgar Rice Burroughs and the 100th anniversary of Tarzan of the Apes, the convention will run from April 27th through the 29th and be held at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center. The convention will host an extensive film program, including an exclusive showing of the recent Disney film, John Carter, at a nearby theater. Another highlight of the con will be the pulp-related art show, sponsored by Dan Zimmer’s Illustration Magazine. Along with PulpFest, the Windy is a must for the pulp fan. Click on the logo above for additional information about this superb pulp convention.

North of the border and one week after Windy City, Toronto will host the 16th annual Fantastic Pulps Show & Sale. A one-day event, this small but pulp specific show will take place on Saturday, May 5th at the Lillian H. Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library, 239 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. You can learn more by writing to Girasol Collectables, 3501 Glen Erin Drive, Suite 1409, Mississauga, ON, Canada L5L 2E9 or by emailing info@girasolcollectables.com.

Cinevent 44 will take place May 25th - 28th at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, the former home of PulpFest. In addition to 170 tables of movie-related collectibles such as posters, lobby cards, stills, pressbooks, DVDs, and 16 mm films, Cinevent features an extensive schedule of classic sound and silent films and one of the country’s largest live auctions of vintage posters. Click on the logo below for a link to the convention’s website.

Sponsored by the Robert E. Howard Foundation with help from the members of REHupa, the Robert E. Howard United Press Association, and Project Pride, the annual Robert E. Howard Days will be held June 8th-9th in Cross Plains, TX. The ultimate gathering for fans of Howard, it will feature tours, panels, auctions, films, speeches, readings, rare collectibles, and great Howardian fellowship. Like PulpFest 2012, this year’s Howard Days will celebrate Conan’s eightieth birthday. Essayist Charles Hoffmann will be the guest of honor. Write to Bill Cavalier at 2cavaliers@sbcglobal.net with your questions or comments.

One of the first pulp and paperback shows ever established, the 41st Classicon will take place on Saturday, June 9th in Lansing, MI. It will feature 35 tables and thousands of collectible pulp magazines, digests, and paperbacks available for sale or trade as well as pin-ups, original artwork, and other pop culture material.

As always, these events are just a prelude to PulpFest 2012, the summertime destination for fans and collectors of vintage popular fiction and related materials. Why not register today?

Business of Writing, Nancy J. Cohen, Promotion Comments Off

Feb 152012

Here’s another promotional tool that will drive you crazy. I just learned about Pinterest, where you pin up pictures online that relate to your book, your characters, the locations in your story, your vacation in New Guinea, your restaurant meals, or your life in general. This acts as an online pinboard that other folks can view. If someone spots a photo on my board they like, they can share it. You tell what the picture means and people comment on it. At least, this is my understanding so far.

But who owns the rights to the photos you post? What happens, for example, if I imagine a character looking like Richard Dean Anderson in Stargate: SG1? Can I just copy his photo off the Web? According to one person I asked, yes I can, if Pinterest attributes the source. In some cases, though, I’ve cut out photos from magazines of celebrities or people on society pages and scanned them into my computer because they look like my characters. Can I use these photos? I doubt it, because I don’t have the people’s permission. It seems safer to provide your own pictures.

This promises to be another time consuming promotional activity. I'd have to learn how to use the site, determine a theme for each board, and upload the photos. Do we really need more work to do? Or is this a great promotional opportunity we might be missing if we let it go? There’s always the pressure to jump on the next cart that wheels along. But hop on too many wagons, and you might fall off.

Oh, and you have to request an invitation to join this site. Then you register using your Facebook or Twitter account. This is what the site says:

How Pinterest Works
After you have created an Account (defined below) to become a Member of Pinterest, you may use the Services to create, view and follow visual collections. In order to create a visual collection, you may (i) upload images from your computer by selecting the "Add a Pin" section of the Site, (ii) use the Application to take and upload images, or (iii) install and use our "Pin It" browser toolbar to upload images, by following the instructions provided on the "About" section of the Site. Please note that your visual collections will be publicly viewable by all visitors to the Site and Application. In order to follow the visual collections of other Members, you may search for other visual collections via the Site and Application and select the option to "Follow" such Members. http://pinterest.com

Here are some tips, kindly shared by another author on one of my listserves:
http://www.authormedia.com/2012/02/01/3-ways-authors-can-use-pinterest-guilt-free/
http://www.authormedia.com/2012/02/02/set-up-your-author-pinterest-profile-in-10-easy-steps/
http://www.authorems.com/2012/pinterest/
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/how-can-pinterest-increase-your-book-sales/

So do any of you already participate in Pinterest? Or would you do it now that you’re aware of this site?