FIGHT CARD ROMANCE: LADIES NIGHT CHRISTMAS

FIGHT CARD ROMANCE: LADIES NIGHT CRISTMAS

A FIGHT CARD SHORT STORY WITH A TOUCH OF ROMANCE ... ONLY 99¢ ...

FIGHT CARD ROMANCE: LADIES NIGHT CHRISTMAS

Christmas, 1955 … Hollywood Legion Stadium …

Light heavy-weight champ, Jimmy Doherty is boxing Carlo ‘Toro’ Bassani for the Christmas benefit, even though Jimmy is sure Toro is under the thumb of gangster, Mickey Cohen. He doesn't know if Toro will deck him with a ‘Sunday punch’ in the first round or flop in the third. Even though Jimmy feels sorry for the pug who has cast his lot with the devil, he isn’t sure if he should give this boxer an early Christmas gift of his self-respect, by forcing him to fight like a man, or let Toro kiss the canvas.

Jimmy's bride, Lindy Doherty, is front row center where she always is when he fights. Not many dames would stay in their man's corner consistently cheering him on. She's taking in the action and praying her husband won't get his head handed to him on a Christmas platter. While waiting to watch Jimmy duke it out in the center ring, she and her six month old son, Patrick, along with her two Precious Roses, meet the brightest star in the Hollywood Christmas sky.

Can Jimmy retain his light heavy-weight title and keep a fellow boxer from accidently ‘falling’ off the San Pedro Pier? And what is Lindy’s special Christmas gift for Jimmy?

UP TO SCRATCH

UP TO SCRATCH

 

ON WRITING FIGHT CARD SHERLOCK HOLMES BLOOD TO THE BONE

 

ANDREW SALMON

 

Blood to the Bone is the second Fight Card Sherlock Holmes tale to be penned by award winning Sherlockian author Andrew Salmon. His first Fight Card Sherlock Holmes novel, Work Capitol, is also available on as a Kindle e-book and in paperback…

The first novel in the Fight Card Sherlock Holmes series, Work Capitol, presented a number of daunting challenges. Not only did I have to learn how Victorian fighters plied their trade, but also how Sherlock Holmes would put his inimitable spin on the science of pugilism. Added to that was the responsibility of discerning how Watson would describe a fight in the language of the time.

Research and a lot of pondering led me to the solutions. Hearing from readers since the book's release, I was pleased to see these solutions were met with positive reactions. The book even snagged an award nomination along the way. Holmes fans enjoyed the book, which was a tremendous relief to me and the Fight Card team.

Now, all I had to do was pull it off again! More than that, actually, as the second book could not and should not be just more of the same. No matter how much readers liked Work Capitol, the new one had to be different. We writers don't like to repeat ourselves.

Well, with the fight stuff all worked out and a first attempt at determining how Watson would narrate a boxing match successfully under my belt, I felt I was slightly ahead of the game. Also, in my research for the first book, I had collected a vast treasure trove of information, trivia, dates, events, names, places, etc.

One of those pieces was supposed to be an important clue for Holmes to discover in Work Capitol – except, when all was said and done, I'd forgotten to use it! So, I had that in my back pocket for the second book as well. Hey, it was a good clue – far too important to throw away.

Next came a read through of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's bare knuckle boxing novel, Rodney Stone, to set the tone. The novel provided me with an opportunity to pay homage to Doyle – we must never forget, it is his sandbox modern day Holmes scribblers play in after all.

My tip of the deerstalker takes the form of the pub Holmes, Watson, and my female fighter visit as the Waggon and Horses is visited by Doyle's characters in his book. What's funny, when you think about it, is that, really, two sets of his characters visit the pub a century apart in real time. Rodney Stone also gave me the title for my book, Blood to the Bone, from a phrase used to describe a true blue fighter common at the time.

With all of the above in my corner, I felt pretty good about the next book. And the research sealed the deal. We historical fiction writers are like fishermen. We cast our nets upon history in the hope of finding something interesting, something different, unsung, something today's readers may or may not know about, but we think they'd get a kick out of reading about.

My nets landed smack dab in the middle of the forgotten Victorian female pugilists of the 1800s. As the first book had not featured a female lead, this find immediately struck me as something different yet still staying well within the world of bare knuckle boxing. Endless research showed me the female fight game was a great element, which simply couldn't be ignored.

But how the heck was Holmes going to fight in the women's ring? Stumbling upon the tag-team aspect of women's boxing saved the day. Discovering that couples used to face off against other couples with the ability to tag up like wrestlers and switch partners saved my bacon. Holmes and my female lead could now step up to the scratch line together. Phew!

But what brought them together? Wait a minute! Tag-team couples! What if a husband in one of these tag-teams suddenly disappeared and Holmes and Watson were asked to investigate? Yeah, that would work. Okay, I had Victorian circuses, the forgotten boxing booths of the time, the somewhat obscure history of female bare knuckle boxing, a couple of other little known chapters of history (too spoilerish to talk about here) and a lunar eclipse thrown in for good measure. We were off to the races.

Then tragedy struck.

I had my ducks in a row, the opening scenes playing out in my mind and on my computer screen as I typed away, when my wife's best friend, Linda Gavin, passed away suddenly in July. Best friend? They had been as close as sisters these last 18 years. My wife's grief took precedence and the tale was set aside as we struggled through the shock of it. There was the celebration of life memorial to attend as well and this was a moving, unforgettable event – one we should all hope for when our time comes.

It was during this sad time I got the idea to model the female fighter in my Holmes tale after Linda. No small tribute, as Linda was a strong believer in gender equality and would have adored the character of Eby Stokes but, also, her husband, Doug, was a life-long Sherlock Holmes fan.

I had named a character after Doug in two previous Holmes tales a different publisher had brought out in recent years much to Doug's delight. As one always feel helpless when tragedy strikes another, here was something I could do for Doug, and he was moved when I told him of my plans at the memorial. I told him I would be dedicating the book to Linda as well as changing the name of my female fighter to Eby Stokes – Eby being Linda's maiden name.

I took things a step further by asking cover artist Mike Fyles if he would be willing to use Linda's likeness for his depiction of Eby Stokes. Mike's a great guy and readily agreed. I sent him off a pair of shots of Linda in her youth (boxing is a young man's and young woman's game) and he came back with the incredible cover you see on the book.

Things got a little spooky with the cover.

Take a look at his rendition of Eby Stokes. She does indeed resemble Linda, but what he did not know was that she always posed for photos with her hair down in front of her left shoulder. Always – except in the shots I sent Mike, as these had been shots of her in her youth.

I had made no mention of it to Mike, wanting him to be free to go where his considerable talent took him. Yet there is Eby Stokes with her hair hanging down in front of her left shoulder! Coincidence? Something more? We can each come up with our own answers. It sent chills down my spine, that's all I have to say about it.

As I gradually got back to writing the tale, the book took on more personal importance to me. Holmes tales deal with logic, deduction and adventure, not overburdened by emotion. This being my eighth Holmes tale, I was well versed in this. But now the book was to be my tribute to our departed friend. I had to make it a fitting tribute and I had to create an Eby Stokes to make Linda proud.

Have I succeeded? That's up to you, dear readers. I gave it everything I had, but the proof is in the reading, and I hope the story entertains and keeps you guessing.

It was a bitter-sweet experience writing Blood to the Bone. Thanks for getting this far with me and I hope you enjoy the book.

 

WOMEN PUGILISTS GET THEIR DUE

WOMEN PUGILISTS GET THEIR DUE

 

VICTORIAN FEMALE BOXERS

ENTER HALL OF FAME

 

ANDREW SALMON

 

 

Blood to the Bone is the second Fight Card Sherlock Holmes tale to be penned by award winning Sherlockian author Andrew Salmon. His first Fight Card Sherlock Holmes novel, Work Capitol, is also available on as a Kindle e-book and in paperback…

 

The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame in Belfast, New York held an induction ceremony on July 12th, 2014, where the great, unsung female boxing greats of the Victorian age took their place amongst the legendary male fighters of yesteryear as part of the rich history of the sport.

 

Elizabeth Wilkinson (Stokes): Winner of first ever recorded female bare knuckle fight in 1722.

 

Anna Lewis: Staged first Women's Championships, brought publicity to the sport in the 1880s. 

 

Hattie Stewart: First Female Bare Knuckle World Champion, 1884.

 

Hattie Leslie: First American Championess, 1888.

 

Alice Leary: A six-foot slugger, athlete, was 52-0 w/24 knockouts before losing to Hattie Leslie.

 

Hessie Donahue: Knocked out John L. Sullivan in 1892.

 

These great fighters, along with a selection of modern day women pugilists, join the ranks of past inductees, including John L. Sullivan, Jem Mace, James Figg, Jack Dempsey and dozens of others.

THE WOMANLY ART

THE WOMANLY ART

AN OVERVIEW OF WOMEN'S BARE KNUCKLE BOXING

ANDREW SALMON

Blood to the Bone is the second Fight Card Sherlock Holmes tale to be penned by award winning Sherlockian author Andrew Salmon. His first Fight Card Sherlock Holmes novel, Work Capitol, is also available on as a Kindle e-book and in paperback...

Elizabeth Stokes, Anna Lewis, Hattie Stewart, Alice Leary, Hattie Leslie, Hessie Donahue, Cecil Richards, Dolly Adams, Polly Burns – if these names are unfamiliar to you, then keep reading.

The women listed above were just a few of the many great women pugilists of the Victorian age. Not much is known about these accomplished fighters because the press at the time rarely covered their matches unless to either ridicule them or call for their abolishment. Society, for the most part, looked down on female fighters in that bygone age (some would maintain people still do) and, as a result, the matches were rarely advertised. It is only recently that their rich history is gradually being stitched together. The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame just inducted its first batch of female fighters this past July.

Women fighters have been around since ancient times, but for the sake of this overview we'll limit our focus to the dawn of female prize fighting. The Hall of Fame's coordinator, Scott Burt, tells us it all began with Elizabeth Stokes. As the winner of the first ever recorded female bare knuckle boxing fight in 1722, Stokes fought Hannah Hyfield for a prize of three guineas. The women fought with a half a crown in one fist. The first to drop the money, lost the fight. This set a precedent for future fights. This was a smart addition to the women's Fancy, as the closed fist cut down on scratching and gouging.

Much like its male counterpart, women's bare knuckle boxing began with very different rules. The womanly art allowed hair pulling, kicking, kneeing, scratching and gouging to all parts of the body. Wrestling throws were also legal, making the sport more a primitive form of mixed martial arts than simply boxing. As such, it displayed a marked similarity to the Boxe Francaise or Savate fighting, which combined boxing with a variety of kicks using both heel and toe.

The fights were brutal and savage affairs. As a result, the women were often severely injured, and some died in the ring. Usually trained by men, either their husbands or fellow pugilists, the women fought men as well as each other, sometimes winning despite the tremendous risks. There were exceptions, such as the time Hessie Donahue knocked out John L. Sullivan during an exhibition bout when Sullivan angered her by accidently hitting her too hard.

The women often boxed bare chested. This served two functions. The first served the promoters with the obvious salacious draw of sweaty, topless women punching away at each other, but there was a sound reason for this as well. Without antibiotics of any kind, the risk of infection ran high. Dirty fabric pressed into open cuts incurred during a fight could mean death for a fighter. And injuries did not just result from a fist or boot heel. There was the very real risk of the various wires found in female clothing of the time puncturing the skin as well.

Women's bare knuckle boxing became popular on both sides of the Atlantic as the eighteenth century drew to a close despite being considered indecent and unladylike by many. Women's boxing classes were held in gymnasiums everywhere, but catered mostly to the upper class.

As the sport was open to all comers and substantial prizes were to be had. This prize money far exceeded what the lower or middle class women could earn at other jobs. As a result, despite the risk, the temptation to toe the line was, for many, the only avenue out of poverty. For others, it was an opportunity to escape the confines society placed on them, to be strong, independent and capable.

By the 1880s, women's boxing flourished in dance halls and at fairgrounds where women put on boxing displays and/or sparring with fair goers and engaged in tag–team fights where male and female teams (often husband and wife) squared off against each other with a tag to switch partners. As the 19th century drew to a close, the sport, still frowned upon by the press, gained more respectability. Bare knuckles eventually gave way to gloves as the Queensberry Rules were put in place.

The sport continued into the 20th century and was even an exhibition sport at the St. Louis World's Fair/Olympics in 1904. It was also considered an excellent way for a young lady to stay healthy and safe well into the 1950s, though by then, the sport had lost most of its ferocity. By the 1970s, women boxers began to fight in greater earnest to secure the rights and opportunities their male counterparts enjoyed.

If you want to delve deeper into the world of female bare knuckle boxing, check out the Hall's website above or pop over to this Russian site, Female Single Combat Club, which offers both English and Russian versions of its pages. Here they explore the history in depth and I'm indebted to them for the research materials I found at the site.
 

FIGHT CARD UPDATE NOVEMBER 2014

FIGHT CARD UPDATE NOVEMBER 2014

I am delighted with the strength of the final two Fight Card titles for 2014.  As we wrap-up three years of monthly novelettes with 40 published titles (including two Fight Card charity anthologies), the stories in the series are as vibrant and hard-hitting as when we started.

First up in November is The Iron Fists of Ned Kelly, the third Fight Card novel from the battered typewriter of our man from the land down under, David Foster (King of the Outback, Rumble in the Jungle). This is a piece of historical fiction – featuring Australia’s infamous outlaw, Ned Kelly – which David was destined to write. A rip-snorting true tale of a man done wrong who has a chance to even the score the best way he knows how – with his fists.

The Iron Fists of Ned Kelly also features a knockout cover from illustrator Mike Fyles, who has also turned in another dynamite cover for our second Fight Card Sherlock Holmes outing from Andrew Salmon, Blood to the Bone, which will be our December Fight Card title.

FIGHT CARD: THE IRON FISTS OF NED KELLY

"I wish to acquaint you with some of the occurrences present past and future." Edward Kelly – The Jerilderie Letter 1879 

The story of Australia's ironclad outlaw, Ned Kelly, has been told countless times in film, book, and song. The shootout at Stringybark Creek and the infamous siege at Glenrowan are events which shaped the nation – but there is more to Ned’s story, including the character defining, bareknuckle, scrap with feared bar-room brawler, Isaiah 'Wild' Wright.

Ned was only sixteen when he rode into the township of Greta on a horse loaned to him by Wright. Ned had no idea the horse was stolen, but he was still arrested, beaten, and sentenced to three years hard labor.

Ned can't get those years back, but he can make the horse thief pay for his deception. With honour and justice at stake, two of the hardest men of all time will come to scratch in a battle for the ages. 

A story of betrayal, revenge, and ultimately friendship, The Iron Fists of Ned Kelly is another rollicking tale from the author of King of the Outback.

Along with his Fight Card entries, David is also the author – under his James Hopwood pseudonym – of two novels (The Librio Defection / The Danakil Deception) featuring swinging sixties neophyte British agent Jarvis Love. Both are available from Amazon and are must reads for anyone who enjoys their spy fiction with the cool vibe of the swinging sixties when martinis were served shaken not stirred.

Special thx this month to Bobby Nash for his efforts in providing FaceBook banners for so many of our titles …

Till next month … Keep punching …

JUST RELEASED ~ FIGHT CARD: FELONY FISTS ~ AUDIO!

JUST RELEASED ~ FIGHT CARD: FELONY FISTS ~ AUDIO!

Los Angeles 1954. Patrick "Felony" Flynn has been fighting all his life. Learning the "sweet science" from Father Tim the fighting priest at St. Vincent's, the Chicago orphanage where Pat and his older brother Mickey were raised, Pat has battled his way around the world - first with the Navy and now with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Legendary LAPD chief William Parker is on a rampage to clean up both the department and the city. His elite crew of detectives known as The Hat Squad is his blunt instrument - dedicated, honest, and fearless. Promotion from patrol to detective is Pat's goal, but he also yearns to be one of the elite - and his fists are going to give him the chance.

Gangster Mickey Cohen runs LA's rackets, and murderous heavyweight Solomon King is Cohen's key to taking over the fight game. Chief Parker wants Patrick "Felony" Flynn to stop him - a tall order for middleweight ship's champion with no professional record. Leading with his chin, and with his partner, LA's first black detective Tombstone Jones, covering his back, Patrick Flynn and his Felony Fists are about to fight for his future, the future of the department, and the future of Los Angeles.

COMING NOVEMBER 11TH

FIGHT CARD STALWART DAVID FOSTER

WRITING AS JACK TUNNEY

COMING SOON!

COMING SOON!

FIGHT CARD: THE IRON FISTS OF NED KELLY!

DAVID FOSTER (FIGHT CARD: KING OF THE OUTBACK / FIGHT CARD: RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE) WRITING AS JACK TUNNEY...

COVER BY MIKE FYLES...

A TALE OF THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK LIKE YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE...THE NOTORIOUS AUSTRALIAN OUTLAW NED KELLY IN A TRUE-LIFE FIGHT TO THE FINISH... 

FIGHT CARD AND HISTORY

FIGHT CARD AND HISTORY

JOSEPH GRANT

I was drawn to write Guns of November by the opportunity to look at the JFK Assassination from a historical fiction viewpoint. Facts keep the story rooted in reality, with an occasional observation snuck in for the author. 

Fiction allows the writer and the reader (it is hoped) to dust off the history of an incident, shake it up, and in so doing become a part of history through the characters – experiencing the emotions and tumult of the time. The writer of historical fiction uses a broader brush and more colorful palette to paint his canvas, giving a different light to staid black and white facts while still coloring inside the lines of history. The experience of bringing facts to life from a different perspective is what makes historical fiction so exciting for me – telling a story as it happened, but using poetic license to do so.  

By using fictional characters to tell a factual story, I believe the author can give the reader a wider understanding of the factual personage and their motives. In the case of the JFK assassination, an event that still resonates today, I was forced to address many issues…Did Oswald act alone? Did Oswald even fire a rifle? Where did Jack Ruby suddenly come into being from waiting the wings of obscurity? Was Ruby a concerned citizen or a Mafia pawn? Why did Ruby take the actions he did – to Jackie Kennedy from testifying as he'd said, or were there other, more sinister motives at hand? 

Even when someone writes what is accepted historical fact, there is always a basis of opinion behind it. In writing historical fiction, a la Gore Vidal's, Lincoln, we are able to understand Lincoln in a clearer sense behind the dusty, one-dimensional figure of the history text books we read in school. Fiction, rather than fact, brings a person to life. Non-fiction, newspaper, and TV news are questionably accurate because, in the end, they are basically approved objective opinion that goes from copy to print. 

Historical fiction works because it brings the reader into the character's lives through a broader respect. Characters in fiction do things factual characters do, but without the real world context. A person reading a news story probably isn’t concerned if a real-life figure had breakfast or not unless it mattered to the timeline of the news article. Conversely, in fiction, breakfast may lead readers around the corner to a whole slew of clues.

Through historical fiction, a reader can find closure on the gaping holes of an historical event – why Oswald left his wedding ring at home, or why he left the School Book Depository after the shooting. In reality, we are never truly able to sort through the conflicting suppositions of approved opinion. In fiction, we find closure as the author moves the story forward fitting the pieces to give us a whole new slant on the puzzle – one in which the pieces actually fit. 

In telling Guns of November, there may be readers who disagree with the avenues to which I've directed the story. It is up to them to base their conclusions on who, what, where and why. It is my job to write a story. While this story is not the truth, it has been based on truths and I've done my best to tell it. I would wager to say it’s closer to the truth than the final fiction we've been told is truth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Pushcart Prize nominee, Joseph Grant is also the author of Fight Card: The Last Round of Archie Mannis. His short stories have been published in over 235 literary reviews such as Byline, New Authors Journal, Underground Voices, Midwest Literary Magazine, Inwood Indiana Literary Review, Hack Writers, Six Sentences, Literary Mary, NexGenPulp, Is This Reality Zine, Darkest Before Dawn, strangeroad.com, FarAway Journal, Full of Crow, Heroin Love Songs, Bewildering Stories, Writing Raw, Unheard Magazine, and Absent Willow Literary Review.

FIGHT CARD: THE GUNS OF NOVEMBER 

November, 1963...Sent to Dallas by Attorney General Robert Kennedy to investigate the disappearance of a boxer connected to a major Civil Rights violation, FBI Special Agent Jim Gregory finds himself desperately trading punches with those plotting to change the course of history.

Kidnapped, beaten, tied up, and blindfolded, young boxer Jimmy Lee Williams knows his situation is dire. Nicknamed Guns for the relentless firing power of his fists, Williams isn’t going to go down without a fight. However, this is no typical 15-rounder...and the clock is ticking toward disaster. 

Mixing with a disparate group of Cuban exiles, the Mafia, the FBI, the CIA, and corrupt Dallas Police, Gregory’s search for Williams takes him into the heart of the JFK conspiracy.  In the Carousel Club, owner Jack Ruby – Gregory's old Chicago boxing opponent – introduces the undercover FBI agent to his many shady contacts, including a young, ex-Marine and Communist defector named Oswald…a man with unusual intelligence and connections to both the FBI and the CIA.

With disaster looming, the latest Fight Card novel, Guns of November, is a two-fisted take on the tragic events you thought you knew, but never imagined...

FIGHT CARD UPDATE ~ OCTOBER 2014

FIGHT CARD UPDATE ~ OCTOBER 2014

Our October Fight Card title, Guns of November, with Joseph Grant (Fight Card: The Last Round of Archie Mannis) behind the Jack Tunney moniker, has slid into publication. It also sports a beautiful cover by Carl Yonder, who continues to go the distance for Fight Card …

FIGHT CARD: THE GUNS OF NOVEMBER

November, 1963...Sent to Dallas by Attorney General Robert Kennedy to investigate the disappearance of a boxer connected to a major Civil Rights violation, FBI Special Agent Jim Gregory finds himself desperately trading punches with those plotting to change the course of history.

Kidnapped, beaten, tied up, and blindfolded, young boxer Jimmy Lee Williams knows his situation is dire. Nicknamed Guns for the relentless firing power of his fists, Williams isn’t going to go down without a fight. However, this is no typical 15-rounder...and the clock is ticking toward disaster. 

Mixing with a disparate group of Cuban exiles, the Mafia, the FBI, the CIA, and corrupt Dallas Police, Gregory’s search for Williams takes him into the heart of the JFK conspiracy.  In the Carousel Club, owner Jack Ruby – Gregory's old Chicago boxing opponent – introduces the undercover FBI agent to his many shady contacts, including a young, ex-Marine and Communist defector named Oswald…a man with unusual intelligence and connections to both the FBI and the CIA.

With disaster looming, the latest Fight Card novel, Guns of November, is a two-fisted take on the tragic events you thought you knew, but never imagined... 

As always any mentions on blogs or social networking are very much appreciated.

November will mark the return of Fight Card veteran David Foster with a brilliant take on Australia’s most notorious outlaw. The Iron Fists of Ned Kelly is rooted in fact, telling the tale of the legendary bare-knuckle boxing match between Kelly and Wild Wright – the man Kelly held responsible for his three year incarceration for horse stealing. Great stuff!

The Iron Fists of Ned Kelly will feature a fantastic cover from the talented Mike Fyles, who also provides the cover for our second Fight Card Sherlock Holmes title – Blood to the Bone – from Andrew Salmon…

Keep Punching…

AVAILABLE NOW ~ FIGHT CARD: GUNS OF NOVEMBER

AVAILABLE NOW ~ FIGHT CARD: GUNS OF NOVEMBER

ANOTHER TWO-FISTED FIGHT CARD TALE...JOSEPH GRANT WRITING AS JACK TUNNEY... 

FIGHT CARD: GUNS OF NOVEMBER

November, 1963...Sent to Dallas by Attorney General Robert Kennedy to investigate the disappearance of a boxer connected to a major Civil Rights violation, FBI Special Agent Jim Gregory finds himself desperately trading punches with those plotting to change the course of history.

Kidnapped, beaten, tied up, and blindfolded, young boxer Jimmy Lee Williams knows his situation is dire. Nicknamed Guns for the relentless firing power of his fists, Williams isn’t going to go down without a fight. However, this is no typical 15-rounder...and the clock is ticking toward disaster. 

Mixing with a disparate group of Cuban exiles, the Mafia, the FBI, the CIA, and corrupt Dallas Police, Gregory’s search for Williams takes him into the heart of the JFK conspiracy.  In the Carousel Club, owner Jack Ruby – Gregory's old Chicago boxing opponent – introduces the undercover FBI agent to his many shady contacts, including a young, ex-Marine and Communist defector named Oswald…a man with unusual intelligence and connections to both the FBI and the CIA.

With disaster looming, the latest Fight Card novel, Guns of November, is a two-fisted take on the tragic events you thought you knew, but never imagined...

 

COMING SOON ~ FIGHT CARD: GUNS OF NOVEMBER

COMING SOON 

 

FIGHT CARD: GUNS OF NOVEMBER

 

JOSEPH GRANT WRITING AS JSCK TUNNEY

 

COVER BY CARL YONDER

AN IMPORTANT WORD ABOUT R.E.H. AD BAREKNUCKLE BABARIAN

AN IMPORTANT WORD ABOUT R.E.H. AND BAREKNUCKLE BARBARIAN

BY TEEL JAMES GLENN

I have used the historical figure of Robert E. Howard in the two-fisted tales of Bob Howard (Bareknuckle Barbarian and Fist of the Fae) in a purely fictional, dramatic, and somewhat whimsical fashion.  No approval, disrespect or disparagement of this individual – though I very much admire R.E.H. – is meant or implied. The facts of R.E.H.’s life as it tragically ended in this world, and the point where it enters the world of these fictional stories should be clear to all.

Robert Irvin Howard (January 22, 1906 – June 11, 1936) was the consummate pulp author who wrote in a diverse range of genres. He is best known for his character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre, but he wrote western, historical crusader, and horror fiction with equal aplomb.

Howard was born and raised in the state of Texas. He spent most of his life in the town of Cross Plains. He taught himself to box and sword fight and often engaged in ice house fights – bareknuckle competitions with the rough necks in his area.

From the age of nine, he dreamed of becoming a writer of adventure fiction. However, he did not have real success until he was twenty-three. He was published in a wide selection of magazines, journals and newspapers, but his main outlet was the pulp magazine, Weird Tales.

He was introduced (via correspondence) to H.P. Lovecraft by an editor at Weird Tales, and the two veteran writers were soon engaged in a vigorous correspondence, which would last for the rest of Howard's life.

Howard was successful in several genres and was on the verge of publishing his first novel when he committed suicide at the age of thirty. His mother was terminally ill with tuberculosis before she had even met his father, and so was slowly dying throughout Howard's entire life.

A theme in most of his writings was the atavist in us all, the barbarian, would always triumph over civilization. If he could see today’s reality television, he might find himself proven right.

His divergence from tragic reality to the world of the two-fisted tales of Bob Howard is the moment, seated in his car on a Texas road, when he chooses not shoot himself in grief (as he did in real life), but returns to the hospital to have his last moments with his dying mother.

Teel James Glenn (Writing as Jack Tunney) ~ Union City, NJ, 2014

FIGHT CARD UPDATE ~ SEPTEMBER 2014

FIGHT CARD UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2014

We have a special treat for this month’s Fight Card release.  Fight Card: Bareknuckle Barbarian features a one-two punch of stories featuring Robert ‘Bob” E. Howard himself as the two-fisted hero of his own pulp tales.

Award winning author Teel James Glenn writing as Jack Tunney gives life to the wonder of what adventures Bob Howard might have enjoyed had his life not ended so tragically early.

Fight Card: Bareknuckle Barbarian sports a beautiful painted cover by Carl Yonder with text by David Foster.

FIGHT CARD: BAREKNUCKLE BARBARIAN

Can a poor Texan pulp writer survive the bare knuckle brutality of New York? Robert E. ‘Bob’ Howard is forced to find out when he stumbles upon an impromptu match in an alley on his first day in the Big Apple. From there, it is a trip to the circus and a confrontation with a gambling overlord climaxing in a bloody fight to the finish in a squared circle of death…all before landing on the shores of old Ireland, where he will face a strange and ancient danger in a very different circle of bare knuckle justice.

Two fisted tales straight from the days of the pulp excitement, served with a side order of ‘what might have been’ fantasy, as Robert E. Howard – the writer who gave us Conan and Solomon Kane – lives his adventures himself.

Pulp Award winning author Teel James Glenn writing as Jack Tunney takes the readers back to a time that never was for adventures that should have been!

As always, any mentions on your blogs or social networking sites are appreciated.

Next month will feature a new Fight Card novel, The Guns of November, from Joseph Grant (The Last Round of Archie Mannis), which mixes boxing with historical characters involved in the Kennedy assassination.

The Iron Fists of Ned Kelly will debut in November from Fight Card stalwart David Foster (King of the Outback, Rumble in the Jungle), taking us back into the bush with Australia’s favorite outlaw. This novel will feature a stunning cover from new Fight Card contributor Mike Fyles.

Andrew Salmon (Fight Card Sherlock Holmes: Work Capitol) will be giving us a new Fight Card Sherlock Holmes tale to celebrate the holiday season.

We also have upcoming books from Tim Tresslar, Jason Chirevas, David White Tommy Hancock, and others…

David Foster is hard at work preparing those Fight Card tales not yet released as paperbacks for publication.  Your patience is appreciated.  We will get there.

Until next month…Keep Punching!