Friday, December 16, 2011

I'm Reading Again: Here's the Proof

Well, I’m officially finished with the school semester. I got my grades turned in on Sunday and took two days pretty much completely off. Then I got back to work on some writing and it has been going well. I’ve also been doing a lot of reading and much enjoying it. Here’s some of the stuff I’ve read.

A Rip Through Time, by Chris F. Holm, Charles A. Gramlich, Garnett Elliott, Chad Eagleton.
From a concept created by David Cranmer.


What a great fun read this one was. A grand romp across time by four authors working in serial form, the kind of pulp adventure you don’t often see anymore. It’s no secret that I did installment two of the story, and I tell you I just loved seeing how Garnett Elliott and Chad Eagleton played off some of the ideas that I introduced into the work, just as I enjoyed playing off what Chris Holm had put into the opening chapter.

At present, this is available at Smashwords, and for the Nook.

Miles To Little Ridge, by Heath Lowrance

This is a fast paced western of novella length. The main character, Gideon Miles, was created by Edward Grainer, but here the writer Heath Lowrance takes over the reins to tell a hard hitting tale of revenge and justice. I liked the detail on this one. I found the settings and characters very believable. Good stuff.


Monsters & Mormons, Edited by WM Morris and Theric Jepson

I’ve only read one story from this collection so far, David J. West’s “Fangs of the Dragon.” I enjoyed it very much. The gunfighter, Porter Rockwell, is sent to investigate tales of a lake monster who is killing locals. He finds a wide ranging conspiracy related to the sightings, and then comes face to face with the monster itself. The results are unexpected, and cool.


I’m also reading Bolo!, by David Weber, which consists of stories about the infamous “Bolo” war machines originally created by Keith Laumer. I haven’t finished it yet but I’ve just loved the first two stories, both of which had me a little misty eyed at the end. This is the first work I’ve read by David Weber. It won’t be the last.

28 comments:

Adventuresfantastic said...

Glad to hear you're writing again; I hope it goes well. I got my grades in yesterday and am reading an eARC of EMPIRE STATE by Adam Christopher. Great pulp superhero fun. I plan to hit writing hard and heavy next week when the offspring gets shipped off to Grandma and Granddad's for Christmas.

Tom Doolan said...

Congratulations on another successful semester. :) I envy you being able to read for pleasure. I plan to MAKE time for that, as well as writing, soon.

Oscar Case said...

Porter Rockwell fighting lake monsters. Great invention!

Charles Gramlich said...

Keith, we find the writing time when we can. I've got to get on it myself because my wife will be having a surgery on her shoulder next Thursday. Need to get some stuff done before then.

Tom, I miss reading for pleasure so much when I'm not able to do it.

Oscar, indeed so. A cool story.

Deka Black said...

Glad to hear you're making the keyboiard cry for mercy again!

Er... and, sorry,bur i just saw the title "Monsters & Mormons" and can't stop laughing. Is a funny title!

And now,let's get serious: I hope your wife will get well soon. Good luck to her

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad the semester is over - and you survived!

Charles Gramlich said...

Deka, it's certainly a unique title. Unexpected. I'll be interested in seeing what the other stories are like in the book.

Alex, thanks. I'm glad to have the break

BernardL said...

I've got it, Charles. I'll be reading it this weekend. I bet you're happy to be out of the car commute for a while. :)

Charles Gramlich said...

Bernardl, indeed. Especially at this time of year when traffic gets worse than normal.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

Very pleased you liked it Charles-thanks for the plug.

Ty said...

Glad to see you get some free time. Enjoy all that reading! But don't forget to do some writing.

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, especially with Xmas round the corner, and I'm looking forward to reading more about what you’ve read. I often decide to take some time out to read, and read only, but it seldom works that way.

the walking man said...

What defines a piece of writing as Pulp?

I just finished Patti Abbots collection of shorts, that was good recommendation from you but now I have reverted to type and started Hawthorns The Scarlett A. I am seeing so much of TODAY in that old chestnut.

Charles Gramlich said...

David J., it reminded me a bit of a story by a buddy of mine named Chris Gruber in the Dreams in the Fire collection, which is the REH inspired charity anthology I've mentioned here before. I'm not sure why but there was a similar feeling to the stories. Kind of interesting.

Ty, I got a lot of writing done yesterday and am looking forward to more today. SHould come close to finishing a project finally.

Prashant, no it usually doesn't end up that way but at least with intent maybe you can get some reading done.

Mark, I think "pulp" is a pretty broad description that means different things to different folks. I think it has to do with subject matter and attitude toward it, the point being that the story is meant to be fast paced fun reading without necessarily having a story weighed down by literary devices.

Randy Johnson said...

That Monsters & Mormons looked good. Made me want to try it. However when I tried to buy it, it wouldn't download. That happens every now and again and even Kindle support can't get them to work. I've learned just to get a refund when that happens and forget it.

The two from David were a lot of fun and I've not gotten into Weber's stuff, so i passed on that one as well.

It is good to hear you've found time to get some writing done.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

That's a collection I've meant to get a hold of for awhile now Charles-I'm anxious to read Grubers story now too.

Charles Gramlich said...

randy, this is the first weber I've read but I have another of his around that I'll try. the stories started slow but ended bang up.

David J., Chris's story is my second favorite in that collection. There's one called "I was a Martian Galley Slave" that is even better.

jodi said...

Charles, enjoy your break. Sounds like you are on a roll!

laughingwolf said...

grats on finishing the term and getting back 'in the groove'!

as for 'pulp', the name comes from the cheap newsprint [pulp paper] the original books, all fiction, were printed on, back in the day... likely a new meaning in this era....

Charles Gramlich said...

Jodi, tis good so far.

Laughingwolf, yeah, I never really thought that much about what it means now. I guess I know it when I see it.

Travis Cody said...

Sounds like you're catching up on that reading in a hurry.

I'm patiently awaiting the next books in three different series. One is due on 27 December, another early in January, and the third sometime in March.

In between, Pam as turned my attention toward a genre called cozy mysteries. They are character driven quick reads and quite enjoyable. She uses them as stress relievers, and I'm finding them useful for that as well.

Steve Malley said...

Great news about the end of the semester! For me, this is the busy time, and it keeps getting worse... :)

Golden Eagle said...

Congratulations on being done with the semester!

They sound like interesting books--my TBR pile always manages to get bigger whenever I stop by this blog. :P

Charles Gramlich said...

Travis cody, I've read a few cozy's. they do make for a nice change of pace.

Steve Malley, sorry to hear that, man. Hope you catch a break soon.

Golden Eagle, mine gains a lot hanging out on other folks' blogs as well.

ivan said...

Walking Man:

Indeed a good recommendation for Patti Abbott's collection of short stories.
As for ladies with the big "A" emblazoned on their lapels, I think I've met every one of them personally. That's how I got to be the way I am. One "fallen" woman after another in those crazy sexy sixties.
The Scarlet Pimpernell? :)

Charles Gramlich said...

Ivan, sounds like a memoir is needed.

ivan said...

Charles,

Sort of My Life and Loves, by Frank Harris? Ooh!

ArtSparker said...

Just read "A Conspiracy of Paper" by David Liss and am now reading "A Spectacle of Corruption", set in Restoration England with A Jewish pugilist as hero (of sorts). This author doesn't research, he immerses ( I seriously wonder if he and his wife dress up in Early eighteenth century attire behind closed doors). Recommended!