PulpFest is nigh

Here it is Monday night, July 26. PulpFest is just a few days away, and like many of you, sadly, I won’t be attending this year.

Pulp festivities kickoff at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 29, and continue until around 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.

It looks to be a terrific pulp gathering. The PulpFest committee – Jack Cullers, Barry Traylor, Mike Chomko and Ed Hulse – has put together a calendar packed with events I’d love to attend. Sigh.

It’s been a while since I have written anything for Yellowed Perils. I’ve spent most of my “pulp time” writing an article for, then designing, The Pulpster (the annual zine edited by Tony Davis and published for the summer’s pulp convention).

I’m pretty excited about this year’s Pulpster. Tony has put together a great selection of articles: PulpFest Guest of Honor William F. Nolan writes about Sam Spade, Destry and Dr. Kildare; Don Hutchison, on pulpster David Goodis; Frederick Painton, on Arthur Burks’ plot trick (reprinted from a vintage Writer’s Digest); John Locke, on pulpster Paul Ernst; Nick Carr, who answers 10 pulp questions he’s been asked; Wayne Leighton (aka Rex Layton), on L. Ron Hubbard; David L. Fox, on Max Brand’s first year writing for Western Story Magazine; Bruce Stirling, on Carroll John Daly’s “Three Gun Terry”; and my article, on a forgotten 1978 Doc Savage TV movie script.

I have to give kudos to Francesco Francavilla for drawing a wonderful Doc Savage illustration to accompany my article. You can take a sneak peak of the illustration on his Pulp Sunday blog. (While you’re there, check out all of his other terrific illustrations.)

This year’s Pulpster sports its first color cover (that’s it above left) and runs 44 pages. If you’ve registered for PulpFest (to attend or as a supporting member), you’ll receive a copy. If not, check out the PulpFest website after PulpFest for details on purchasing one.

If you, like me, can’t make it to PulpFest, consider some of the other pulp gatherings. There may be one near you. I’ll be attending the Arizona Doc Con in November. (More details to come regarding that, so stay tuned.)

There’s a listing of pulp events on the TPN home page. Hope you can check out one of the gatherings. Getting together with fellow pulp fans is a great experience.

– William