tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19113773775472201012024-03-05T22:47:57.800-06:00The Busted Flush SaloonOfficial blog for western author Marcus GallowayMarcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-33546794756688995732010-05-28T22:36:00.002-05:002010-05-28T22:39:02.425-05:00Still kickin'I know it's been a long time since I posted anything here, but if anyone's checking in on me, things are still rolling. I'm shopping around the next Boot Hill book to a couple different publishers, so we'll see what comes of that.<br /><br />Also, I'm going to be at the Western Writer's Conference in Knoxville, TN on the weekend of June 25th - 27th. I'm not on any panels or anything, but I'll be around. Hope to see some of you there.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-53679779084454200242009-09-20T01:23:00.003-05:002009-09-20T01:29:43.890-05:00Lit Fest vs HuskersToday was the Omaha Literary Festival. It was a great time and thank you very kindly to all of you who showed up! Even with a Cornhuskers game on at the same time as the panels, there was still a pretty good turn out. One thing that I thought was really interesting was the variety of folks on the panel itself. Apart from me, there was an author with a book set in the west during more modern day and based on factual events, plus a professor at UNL who writes about the west from a Mexican-American perspective. Between the three of us, we covered a lot of ground.<br /><br />And kudos to the moderator, as well. All too often, moderators at panels either don't want the job or just plain don't do their job by just letting the conversation drift where it will or stall out completely. Not so this time. Although, he did introduce my first series as "The Man From Book Hill". Eh, no hard feelings. I gotta grouse about something. Seriously, great job all around and I hope to return next time!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-70806897630884699962009-09-11T12:37:00.002-05:002009-09-11T12:37:57.882-05:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSEajreFd4BUjKiTLSW_dN424mZGfncufrEcXwyrfdmU-4gpSngVdxY1qllHUOWxoUyRekl841yD8boq_26IvDqZ8-KMdznJfxfKFOTk4RJFUBzPc_p-ixfWbtzwlvQNiEDCcBd7VmNY/s1600-h/american-flag.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380265471718513842" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 143px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSEajreFd4BUjKiTLSW_dN424mZGfncufrEcXwyrfdmU-4gpSngVdxY1qllHUOWxoUyRekl841yD8boq_26IvDqZ8-KMdznJfxfKFOTk4RJFUBzPc_p-ixfWbtzwlvQNiEDCcBd7VmNY/s200/american-flag.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>With my head down and working on my own schedule, it's easy to forget what day of the week it is. I barely thought about it being September until I saw all the back to school stuff (which is mostly late August anyway, so that shows how on-point I am). There's so much that comes along with this, but most of it is personal and tough to express. Also, most of it doesn't need to be expressed because it's the same thing that most of us feel when we think of 9/11/01.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br />My big memory involves standing in line all day long to give blood. I was living in St. Louis and after I saw what happened, the news affiliates were predicting the Red Cross would need as much blood as possible to help the victims. This was while things were still happening, so they didn't know for certain whether anyone needed extra donations or not. That was the only thing I could do at the time, so I went to give. I'd never given blood before but I had to do something. When I got there, most of the city seemed to be lined up so they could do something too. I waited in that line all day long and honestly don't even know what they did with all that blood. There had to have been way more than what they (or all of the local Red Crosses) needed, but it was moving to be there and witness the entire country bleeding for our loss. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br />I don't appreciate being told to "never forget" as if I COULD forget. I'm also not one to feel more emotional about something because the calendar tells me to. Seeing the towers fall impacted me along with everybody else and I won't forget about it come September 14th or March 27th. Still, it is good to see everyone bleed for a good cause.</div>Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-5169068487059135582009-09-09T14:31:00.002-05:002009-09-09T14:34:13.427-05:00Lit FestivitiesThe Omaha Literary Festival is coming up on the 19th. My panel is “Wild: mythmaking and the American West,” and it will be held at 4 pm. Dave Mullins, author of the Las Vegas-set story collection, “True Love Versus the Cigar Store Indian,” will moderate. If any of you can make it, I'd love to see you there. Otherwise, it'll be me and a few other folks at a table talking to each other and nobody else. While that's not uncommon with these things, it's always better with an audience. Hope to see some of you there!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-7401123297889370922009-08-10T14:59:00.004-05:002009-08-10T15:02:39.937-05:00Lit FestI've just recently confirmed that I'll be appearing at the Omaha Literary Festival on September 19. It'll be held in, you guessed it, Omaha, NE. If you're in the area, stop by and you shouldn't be disappointed. There will be plenty of writers from the western and other genres giving talks and (hopefully) signing some books. <a href="http://www.omahalitfest.com/">Here's a link to a website with some details</a>. Hope to see you there!<br /><br />Until then, I'll be working on a new Ralph Compton book. Feels good to climb into the saddle again.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-51868072826688242462009-07-28T01:10:00.004-05:002009-07-28T01:16:06.838-05:00Too early to tell<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQRFhAh7wP0VQfOptYjHULwaX8rAaIcxoCyLYhySiMros5wFD_jhuajFmMqCbk15tH2dh1-fhKL5Qcb9INb2ixFj5Maqs2_oIq5DHbiQhHwoaTMttJFSCcWSYV29H9jallR-vebakSN4/s1600-h/jonah-hex-20090727061541173.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363389530904215474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQRFhAh7wP0VQfOptYjHULwaX8rAaIcxoCyLYhySiMros5wFD_jhuajFmMqCbk15tH2dh1-fhKL5Qcb9INb2ixFj5Maqs2_oIq5DHbiQhHwoaTMttJFSCcWSYV29H9jallR-vebakSN4/s320/jonah-hex-20090727061541173.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Don't quite know what to make of this one yet. A Jonah Hex movie could be amazing or it could just be a schlocky attempt to put Megan Fox into another tight dress. Not that I'm opposed to that sort of thing, but Jonah Hex deserves something more than that. </div><div> </div><div>I'm still reading the comic books and enjoying them immensely. I've kind of fallen out of love with The Man With No Name series just because it seems a bit too convoluted for its own good. Haven't given up on it completely yet, but the next few issues better be good.</div><div> </div><div>I'd like to see a new Ghost Rider series set in the old west. Say what you want about the Nick Cage movie, but that one scene where he was riding alongside Sam Elliott's dead horse was one hell of a cool visual. Give me some demon banditos and I'll be a happy guy.</div>Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-87691163628535637832009-07-23T11:49:00.003-05:002009-07-23T11:54:39.685-05:00Tainted InterviewGary Dobbs did a great interview with yours truly over on his Tainted Archive blog. Here's the link: <a href="http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-always-wanted-to-wear-black-hat.html">http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-always-wanted-to-wear-black-hat.html</a><br /><br />There were some really good questions that got me rambling about subjects ranging from the Clint vs. Duke debate all the way up to the state of the western genre. Go see for yourself, because that's all you're getting from me.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-42121879616544641022009-07-06T11:56:00.002-05:002009-07-06T12:03:15.786-05:00Fourth of Joo-lyI can't remember the last time I've had a 4th of July where I wasn't working. That's not really a bad thing, since I have fond memories of finishing up many hopeful projects while fireworks going off outside. This year was nice. My wife cooked up some burgers and we were entertained by the show put on by our skittish dog as she ran back and forth to guard against the approaching horde of gun-toting intruders. Sure, the banditos were just poppers from across the street, but the pup's heart was in the right place.<br /><br />Hope the rest of you had a great holiday as well. For those of you not in the States, shoot some fireworks anyway. They're purrrdy.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-62169056526313309762009-06-25T15:29:00.002-05:002009-06-25T17:20:34.078-05:00The Wild MidwestEvery now and then, I catch some flack for living in Nebraska. Usually it’s some comment about covered wagons and prairie dogs flipped my way any time I venture out of the state. I always have to defend Omaha by saying, “No, it’s really a city. Yes, there are paved roads.” And “No, it’s not the wild west.”<br /><br />Today, Megan and I went to our bank and found the entrance taped off, cop cars out front and the drive-through lanes closed off. Was my bank robbed? Did I just miss seeing a bunch of gunmen storm out carrying bags of money with big dollar signs on them? Do I watch too many superhero cartoons? For all I know, somebody with a bad case of heat stroke wandered in to knock over the deposit slip racks or charge over the counter when the teller wouldn’t acknowledge they were there as they helped car after car in the outside lanes. If that’s the case, I feel for them. If it was a robbery, I’m just glad Megan and I hit the post office first. I like watching the horses thunder in from the east to drop off the new Sears Roebuck catalogs.<br /><br />UPDATE -- News just came in that it WAS a bank robbery. I've already signed on for the posse.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-13366591203042903182009-04-16T00:33:00.003-05:002009-04-16T00:46:17.701-05:00Like a bad penny<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8hjajOYMJXSPjpTltlqHwjmqmfQm0kirlWf6Fx6voD-vKkgdKnd_UfI2EMMHAEKa1-BSgi3pqVdmFiy06gxbmG5solk6ScvB5rmXNghhd6pzI-njIREgmNfXQGPNaYWvwtyP_oinajw/s1600-h/jonah_hex.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325161212081207346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 131px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8hjajOYMJXSPjpTltlqHwjmqmfQm0kirlWf6Fx6voD-vKkgdKnd_UfI2EMMHAEKa1-BSgi3pqVdmFiy06gxbmG5solk6ScvB5rmXNghhd6pzI-njIREgmNfXQGPNaYWvwtyP_oinajw/s200/jonah_hex.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Or possibly a well travelled penny. Since I'm referring to westerns, I could hardly use the term "Bad". We all know western novels aren't going anywhere. Western movies show up on a fairly regular cycle (but not often enough for my taste). Western TV shows are becoming rare, but still pop up every now and then. What makes me even happier is finding our favorite genre in other venues. For example, I've started buying comic books again. It's an old habit, but has become an expensive one. $3-$4 per comic. Yowch. Among the superheroes and horror stuff, there's good ol' Jonah Hex. I've also found a comic based on The Man with No Name. In fact, it's <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlzQ6TkLaW1s7GD730ZVvl3RDI4m_xz7ZaL0gOb2M_pX763SpG2vtImyNQbr8cR_d-Io_PV70D8RPZyrnfrLjJBrlZfOiu7Y23Y-I-z5iESz-MwnaOESWd9zaWrkxr75U85Yw5IgXRAs/s1600-h/TNMWNN03covisanov.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325161368953762594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlzQ6TkLaW1s7GD730ZVvl3RDI4m_xz7ZaL0gOb2M_pX763SpG2vtImyNQbr8cR_d-Io_PV70D8RPZyrnfrLjJBrlZfOiu7Y23Y-I-z5iESz-MwnaOESWd9zaWrkxr75U85Yw5IgXRAs/s200/TNMWNN03covisanov.jpg" border="0" /></a>a continuation of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly with Tuco, Blondie and Angel Eyes (in flashback) together again. They're well drawn, well written and a lot of fun.<br /><br />I've also found a few more western video games showing up. Sure, there's not as many gunslingers as space marines, but they're out there. What's even more refreshing is how well received they are. People want more western games, comics and everything else. They just want GOOD westerns and FRESH westerns no matter what form they take. The demand is alive and well, so that's something. The tricky part is for us to meet it without shooting ourselves in the foot.</div></div>Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-56179327086027813612009-03-17T17:05:00.003-05:002009-03-17T17:12:10.402-05:00St. Pat'sHappy St. Patrick's Day to everyone! This doesn't rank too high on my personal holiday list since it's more of a bar hopping occasion than anything else, but have a good one anyway. My wife is cooking up some corned beef and cabbage, so that's making the house smell really good. It's one of those odors that starts off pretty bad, but builds up to something great. As of a few hours ago, it had drifted into the great range.<br /><br />Perhaps it's a sign of getting older, but I've started looking forward to holidays more for what I can eat than what I can drink. I mean, the beer and whiskey are there any time of the year. It's not every day I get turkey that's been cooked in the oven all day long or corned beef and cabbage for that matter. I'd actually prefer it if the bartenders kept their green food coloring for the cookies and kept it out of my lager.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-13096916046056864722009-03-02T12:46:00.002-06:002009-03-02T13:01:34.033-06:00No offense meant to flag football playersI love watching poker on TV. I realize how strange it is to turn on a television and watch a card game, but there's plenty of betting strategy, personalities and thrills to keep me hooked. I also know I don't need to explain this since I'm obviously not the only one responsible for poker shows being so popular. One thing that drives me freaking NUTS is all the focus on amateur players.<br /><br />Yeah, anyone can get lucky at the World Series of Poker, outdraw the pros and win millions. That's why I've stopped watching the World Series. If I'm going to watch a sport on TV, I want to watch the pros. Otherwise, I might as well stop everything I'm doing to watch kids play flag football. Unless they're YOUR kids, that's not a great way to spend an afternoon. Seeing amateurs make bonehead calls and then get lucky embodies everything that's annoying about the world. It shows loudmouthed morons succeeding against people who have studied, practiced or otherwise put in their time to excel at their craft. It shows that blind luck trumps skill and planning. It shows that quitting school and hanging out in bars PAYS off! And it shows that being a general a-hole is a good way to become rich.<br /><br />Now, I'm not talking about ALL amateurs here. Some truly have skill and are just at the bottom of the ladder at the moment. They make good plays, take their beats like adults, and employ some sort of plan. The ones I'm talking about are the a-holes who pump their fists and taunt their opponents after going all in with three-ten off suit and flopping a ten-ten-three. Sure, that's a cause for celebration but don't strut for the rest of the night like THAT was your master plan. Phil Helmuth may be an ass, but at least he relies on something other than blind luck. Mike Matusow may taunt and torment the other players, but he KNOWS how to play the game.<br /><br />Bring back the Professional Poker Tour!! Show more High Stakes Poker! I saw a fairly recent Poker After Dark where three internet players went against three seasoned pros. Those internet guys were tough players, didn't scream and did very well. All three of them looked like kids, but they handled themselves better than the jerk-off who mimicked Sam Farha TO HIS FACE at a World Series a few years back. That makes me long for the good old days where idiots like that were taken to a back room and taught to use their "indoor voice".Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-26471296268788045822009-02-22T03:11:00.003-06:002009-02-22T03:27:02.200-06:00We all got it comin', kidName that line!<br />If you answered, Clint "The Main Man" Eastwood from Unforgiven, then you'd be right. That's one of those movies I always have to watch whenever it's on. I was about to go to bed and I caught it right in the sweet spot, where William Munny and The Schofield Kid kill Quick Mike in the shithouse. That's right before the speech containing tonight's line of dialogue and before the shootout finale which I think is still one of the most captivating gunfights ever filmed. Can you tell I like this movie?<br /><br />I used to be the same way with Tombstone. I love that movie in so many ways, despite the cheesy Billy Zane moments. Unfortunately, there was a stretch where I couldn't flip through the channels without seeing it on one or sometimes several different movie networks. After a few months of such repeat business, it wore me down and I got a little sick of it. Needless to say, that didn't last too long. Even so, it didn't feel right to turn away from Tombstone at all.<br /><br />My newest Compton is coming out in a bit. April 7th to be exact. I was at a bookstore today and saw a good number of my books on the shelf. That never gets old, to be sure, but a professional writer needs to always think about the NEXT book. That's the problem with not having a day job. It's a blessing to do this for a living, but I don't have the luxury of sitting back and savoring every little nuance. I need to make sure the books are out there and then I need to write some more. Such is the business. That said, I will still pick up that new Compton in April, smile down at it, and make sure it's facing out on the shelf just like all my other babies. Yeah, the bookstore employees just love it when I do that. To anyone reading this, be sure to keep up the tradition!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-84584042277671345332009-01-13T12:56:00.003-06:002009-01-13T13:06:16.415-06:00That explains all the whiskeyMan, it is COLD today! Makes me wonder how the hell people survived this back in the 1800's. I suppose the honest answer is that a lot of them didn't survive it. Sure, we've accomplished a lot since then, but we seem like a much softer species now. People complain when they have to throw on a jacket and some of them don't even remember to put on long pants when they're scraping off their cars. Yeah, I saw some guy in shorts scraping his windows in the parking lot the other day. I'm sure anyone questioning him about it will get the standard, "No, dude, I love the cold. You should try it dude!" Sure. This is what scientists call Natural Selection. Unfortunately, the modern world is much more tolerant of idiots. A hundred and fifty years ago, idiots were weeded out fairly well. At least, the idiots who don't know what to do with a coat and pants. Now, they get patched up and sent bumbling along their way to make videos of them injuring themselves for You Tube.<br /><br />Appaloosa comes out on DVD today. I think it looks pretty good, so I'll check it out. Fortunately, the -20 degree winds have blown most of the snow off my car. There's still some ice on the windshield though. Maybe that dude in the shorts will scrape it off for me. Heh.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-26250724133456261862009-01-03T02:19:00.002-06:002009-01-03T19:03:32.542-06:00Year of The Mouth?I just finished watching Poker After Dark. After 10 straight losses, Mike Matusow FINALLY won one!! He was playing against Andy Black, so I would have been fine if either one of them won. Andy’s a gentleman player with some real skill and Mike has become a personal favorite of mine.<br /><br />Sure, when I watched Matusow play several World Series of Pokers ago, I couldn’t help but notice what a complete dick he was. Taunting other players, strutting, screaming, CRYING. The man actually cried after taking a bad beat. What the hell? There’s no crying in poker no matter how much it’s warranted. They call him The Mouth for a reason, but still. Not the sort of guy who grows on you.<br /><br />I don’t keep track of personal stuff with these players, but he’s changed. Mike’s still The Mouth, but he’s toned it down just enough for me to relate to him. Sure, it may be obnoxious, but who hasn’t carried on a bit too much after a savory win? Haven’t we all flipped some grief to other players no matter what game we were involved in? Then there’s Poker After Dark. Mike’s been in 10 of these things without winning once. Many times, he gets beaten by truly horrific strokes of bad luck that would have brought ME to tears. But Mike kept plucking away.<br /><br />Any writer who’s made it to any level knows a thing or two about coming back from being knocked down. The more I see Mike play, the more I find myself rooting for the guy. He does make some truly great plays. His skill at reading other players can be uncanny. Then, again, he may just throw it away with a famous blow-up where he puts it all in for some unknown reason with a crappy hand. Even then, more often than not, he’ll admit he screwed up. Plenty of professional players out there would rather call someone an idiot for calling a bluff than admit any sort of mistake was made. As a guy who’s screwed up plenty of times, I can respect someone who at least admits it when they derailed. And still, Mike comes back with his eyes on the prize.<br /><br />Well, tonight Mikey won! I hate to see Andy Black lose, but Mike put in his time for this one. It’s nice to see good things come to those who keep fighting for them. Go get ‘em, Mouth. Just don’t let this go to your head.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-36361920035901417822009-01-01T13:13:00.004-06:002009-01-02T15:14:48.025-06:00New Year '09Taking a breather for New Year's Day. Haven't decided if I'll take the full day off or not, but I'll definitely take it easy. The wife and I didn't really do much for New Year's Eve. Usually, we really don't do a lot. Just sit at home with a bunch of junk-food type appetisers, pig out and watch movies. To be honest, it's pretty great. I'm not a real party animal, so it's nice to do something I enjoy instead of something I feel like I HAVE TO do because it's New Year's Eve. It may sound lame, but it was fun.<br /><br />In a few weeks, publishers will be back from vacation and getting back to work. That's when the fun starts. Getting a book contract rolling is hard enough under regular circumstances, but now that everyone's cutting back it's even more difficult. That's just the way it goes. Unless you're a big-time, amazingly popular author who calls his / her own shots, you need to pester (but not too much) and hope for the best. I've got plans for the next Boot Hill and Accomplice. My editors like both series, but now I've gotta wait for the higher-ups to get their ducks in a row. Persistence pays off and I'll let you know once I get some definite dates and such. I've also got plans for a new series, which would be a lot of fun to do. Again, lots of interest, but the wheels grind slowly.<br /><br />That's about it from this end. Hope everyone had a great holiday and has an even better 2009.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-8573135188534322082008-12-18T12:32:00.003-06:002008-12-18T14:15:53.703-06:00New Compton cover<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJgRMV78GZRBm0iCeRyBWlfQ1MnS0ZsvnmIaZ2_BzbKjgnuufQIHTavlElL2b1arQXC-f_00n3sy9j0bJsMO6dWCfMfkzjI391mMP9RLr46PyKWqErri-ifY_LBphddYljJiJ8dfi_D8/s1600-h/Outlaw"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281200052278172802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJgRMV78GZRBm0iCeRyBWlfQ1MnS0ZsvnmIaZ2_BzbKjgnuufQIHTavlElL2b1arQXC-f_00n3sy9j0bJsMO6dWCfMfkzjI391mMP9RLr46PyKWqErri-ifY_LBphddYljJiJ8dfi_D8/s320/Outlaw's+Reckoning.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>I was looking around the various bookstore web sites when I came across the cover to my upcoming Compton book. It's very orange. Then again, I thought the same thing about the second Man From Boot Hill book and that one grew on me. This one will really jump out at you on the shelves! In fact, this may not be the highest quality scan of the picture. If I find a better one I'll put it up. Anyway, this is what it looks like. I think it's pretty cool.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>This was a fun one to write. I got the idea for this story from an article I read in the newspaper about a thief who stumbled upon some evidence of a kidnapping while committing a crime. He knew he'd be putting himself at risk with the law if he handed over the evidence. If he didn't hand it over, he knew the kidnapping victim would never be found. A very interesting dilemma for a criminal. Stealing is one thing, but taking part (even indirectly) in a violent crime that may escalate to murder is another. Anyway, this story obviously isn't EXACTLY the same, but it's where the idea for this book came from. </div><div> </div><div></div><div>It hits stores on April 7th, so line up early! Actually, there should be plenty for everyone. Just pick it up whenever you get the chance. </div>Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-51636156483621042522008-12-16T16:29:00.002-06:002008-12-16T16:44:30.780-06:00Chestnuts...roasting...you know the restWe finally got our first real snow here in Omaha. Sure, there's been some frosty dust on the ground for a while, but not much until now. Along with the snow, you get people spinning their tires, speeding sideways through intersections and generally carrying on as if they've never seen cold white stuff falling from the sky before.<br /><br />In general, snow tends to make everything seem quieter and calmer. It's one of the few times during the year when you can step outside and hear a calm wind. This may not apply to the big city folk, but it holds for those of us in mid-sized cities. What I find amusing is how differently each city responds to snow. Omaha is pretty quick to get the plows and salt trucks out. I spent a good amount of time living in St. Louis and they were more in the "What the hell is going on?!" camp when snow fell. The slightest hint of the possibility of snow in a forecast will close schools. I'm not joking about that one. I've heard Seattle has about 2 plows for the whole city.<br /><br />Can you tell I'm on a day off? My brain tends to ramble more and it spills out through my fingers. Anyway, that's about it for now. Book-wise, it's rough. The publishing industry is feeling the economic pinch and tightening their purse strings. I've got another Ralph Compton book coming out in April and will have to wait until the dust settles from the holidays before getting any more news than that. Even in the best of times, most everyone at the publishers would have packed up and gone on their winter vacation weeks ago. Even if the editors are in their offices, they're really not looking too hard at new stuff. Just trying to scrape by until they can open presents. Can't say as I blame them. Hopefully, '09 will be a little better for everyone.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-62902599943155031472008-11-21T14:00:00.003-06:002008-11-21T14:05:31.574-06:00Flavor saverThanksgiving is almost here and I'm making the necessary preparations. First of all, I've got a nice pair of pants with an elastic waistband. Absolutely essential. Second, I'm growing out my beard so, in the words of Little Bill from Unforgiven, I can "taste my soup a few days after I ate it". The line was something like that anyway. Third, I'm doing some deep breathing exercises so I can get my second wind that much quicker.<br /><br />See? Thanksgiving isn't just an easy thing. Sure, I'm not cooking the big meal, but I'm doing my level best to enjoy it properly. I'll also be squaring myself away in front of the TV for the coveted "parade/football" combo. I am most definitely thankful for Thanksgiving!<br /><br />Have a great one, everybody.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-59445492280887851152008-11-12T20:40:00.003-06:002008-11-12T20:51:41.355-06:00Interview at Western Fiction ReviewRecently, I was approached by a fellow blogger who puts together an excellent western site. Steve is a great guy and he wanted to do an interview with yours truly. Needless to say, I obliged and it turned out great. Here's the address to check it out: <a href="http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/">http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />Despite his taste in interview subjects, it's a very well-done site. Heh. Seriously, though, there's a ton of great reviews which are put together with genuine affection for westerns in general. Have a look and check in often.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-28120498210938648132008-10-30T01:34:00.002-05:002008-10-30T01:37:55.036-05:00On the shelvesIt took a little while, but I finally spotted The Silent Partner on the shelves of a local Borders. Granted, I haven't been combing the stores lately, but this is the first time I actually got my author copies before spotting the book out in the world. Either my publisher is on the ball, or the stores are a little behind. Either way, everyone's got their copies so we're all happy. Now go out and buy some!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-42074048770201123912008-10-24T15:57:00.003-05:002008-10-24T15:59:05.526-05:005 Stages of WaitingHere’s another process that’s very important to being a professional writer: Waiting.<br />You come up with your ideas, write them and edit to hit some deadline or a window of opportunity for submitting it somewhere. That’s a whirlwind of work, creation and refinement also known as “the good stuff”. The waiting comes when you must deal with the rest of the world.<br /><br />And I’m not referring to those fortunate writers who submit something and have to wait through a whole weekend or two before they get their deal. That’s great if it happens, but it’s not the norm. It’s more like earning your salary by winning the lottery. And that’s nothing against the talent of those quick-dealers. The whole system is generally very slow and any writer will tell you that you have to wait for any results whatsoever. Wait a LOT.<br /><br />While I’m waiting to hear back from submissions, I’ve found I go through some pretty basic stages. These held up when I waited to get a short story published in a small press magazine, to get an agent, and now to get a book (or series) published. Maybe some of this seems familiar to some other writers out there. For those of you new to the craft, it’s something to look forward to. After all, in the immortal words of GI Joe, “Knowing is half the battle”. And if you’re one of those folks who got your huge contract in less than eight months, good for you. I do hate you, though.<br /><br />Stage 1: Denial – “This time it’ll be different! I’ll send it in and the first person who’s lucky enough to read it will trip all over themselves to give me a deal! I’d better be ready for the landslide that’ll follow this one. Should I subscribe to Publisher’s Weekly so I can read the awesome news before it hits the news stands?”<br /><br />Stage 2: Bargaining – “Come on! It’s been what, three weeks? I haven’t heard anything so that’s gotta be good. That editor must be wondering if I can truly handle following through on the amazing idea I showed them in that proposal. I can handle it! I swear, if I get my chance with this, I’ll run with it! I’ll RUN like the WIND!! Who am I talking to? It doesn’t matter. The forces of good will carry my desire and happy thoughts to where they need to be. I can’t doubt for one moment that this is gonna happen or I’ll jinx it. Oh, shit! Did I just jinx it? No. I can DO THIS!!!”<br /><br />Stage 3: Anger – “Damn it! It’s been three months!! Freaking editors are always on vacation. Freaking system doesn’t even move. What the hell is going on out there?! I should stomp into whatever break room they’re using to suck down their coffee and show them my GENIUS!!!! This is ridiculous! If I had the crappiest office job imaginable I’d never have to wait this long to get results from handing something in! I crank out more starlight from my printer and they take a month off for ONE HOLIDAY!!”<br /><br />Stage 4: Depression – “It’s been over six months. I’m not gonna hear anything. Honestly, what did I expect? Those editors have either tossed my submission away like the garbage it is or they’re laughing at it. I think that telemarketing firm is hiring. Maybe I’ll try that.”<br /><br />Stage 5: Acceptance – “Eh, screw it. I did the best I could, so I just need to wait for something to happen. There’s not much else for me to do. Actually, I’ve got an idea for something else. Maybe I’ll try that.”<br /><br />Unfortunately for my wife and anyone else who has to deal with me (a big sorry goes out to my agent who still returns my calls and answers emails from every one of these stages), I may go through this cycle several times while waiting for one submission. If this sounds familiar to anyone out there, at least I’m not alone. That’s the problem with not working in an office. I don’t get to gripe to fellow co-workers.<br /><br />As far as waiting goes, the simple truth is that you gotta do it whether you go through these stages or any other sort of ritualistic torture. Cry, whine, howl, work, shrug, it doesn’t matter. In the end, you’ll still be waiting. Of course, every so often, the waiting is worth it. And when it is. . .it’s REALLY worth it.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-3915537009321464632008-10-12T12:02:00.002-05:002008-10-12T12:08:03.059-05:00Sounds like a good oneI've been hearing some really great things about the new movie Appaloosa. First of all, I think Viggo Mortenson is one of those guys who's tailor-made for westerns. Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott are another two that come to mind. I hope to see this one fairly soon, but I'm so busy with editing right now that it's tough to get out to a theater.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-19955622957051508972008-09-22T12:52:00.007-05:002008-09-23T14:13:27.739-05:00Snuck up on me<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m6uh-7mkG6OReY8TF0PnlCAmk0cx9OgmoY90Z3Y4_CDFG6UeNLkNNFqToeXK7nPUzAoxgTe1E44jLpw7-ecodpkhai0Ql9cDf5W1CUVDlX9kOor4PvgdW3wjQPL7YZ06o0WD_am-J7Q/s1600-h/Silent+Partner+Cover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248909443685416754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m6uh-7mkG6OReY8TF0PnlCAmk0cx9OgmoY90Z3Y4_CDFG6UeNLkNNFqToeXK7nPUzAoxgTe1E44jLpw7-ecodpkhai0Ql9cDf5W1CUVDlX9kOor4PvgdW3wjQPL7YZ06o0WD_am-J7Q/s200/Silent+Partner+Cover.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Wow, time really does fly. It's already the end of September, which means the beginning of October isn't far away. That, for the readers patient enough to make it this far, means it's almost time for the third ACCOMPLICE book to hit store shelves. The Silent Partner covers a small period of time where Doc was supposed to have been in Deadwood. It's also rumored he may have crossed paths with Wyatt Earp, but might not have officially met him. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When I wrote this one, I thought I'd have a little piece in Deadwood and then move on. Turned out half the book wound up in Deadwood, simply because it was fun to write. Those of you who watched the HBO series (Deadwood) will probably recognize some familiar characters. While I based these guys on accounts of their true activities, so did the people who made the series. I really liked that show and, thanks to DVD, still do. Also, I've been to Deadwood a few times recently so writing that section was great. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I didn't want to rush the ACCOMPLICE books too quickly toward Tombstone. I've always said that Doc had a hell of a career before the OK Corral and wanted to take my time with a period in Doc's life that isn't so familiar. That being said, a lot happens in this book. Once Doc hit his stride in the gambling scene, he met a lot of famous folks and kicked up a lot of dust. The Silent Partner covers a span where he meets Wyatt (in Deadwood as well as the more "official first meeting") along with Kate Elder. Kate was a lot of fun to write. There's almost as much contradictory stuff about her as there is of Doc and I had to pick and choose which "facts" to run with. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I didn't really intend on doing such a long post about this. The book's coming out on Oct. 7. I've got to be honest about the cover. I'm not crazy about it. Caleb doesn't look anything like I imagine and I don't know who that third guy is supposed to be. At the very least, I suggested changing Doc's cane into something a dandy like him would actually use. The suggestions were passed along and nothing was changed. Oh well. I had fun writing it and I hope you have fun reading it. </div><div></div><div>---edit 9/23 --> I just got an advance copy of the book today and it looks ok. I still don't think this cover is up to par with the first two, but never fear. The stuff between the covers is just fine! </div>Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911377377547220101.post-39590675531069277252008-09-04T13:10:00.001-05:002008-09-04T13:10:54.807-05:00Still kickin'Yes, I’m still alive. Just taking some time to put together a bunch of different projects. Writing professionally is tricky enough. It gets REALLY tricky when you don’t have another (dreaded) day job. Not all regular jobs have to be tedious and mind-numbing. Lots of authors are also teachers or lawyers. I’m not fortunate enough to be quite so smart. I write and write some more.<br /><br />Writing for a living is a constant hustle. For those who’ve read my ACCOMPLICE books, you’ll know Doc and Caleb make their money in a lot of different ways besides sitting at a poker table and giving suckers…I mean other players…a hard time. For me, I’ve got projects in other genres like horror and fantasy to go along with my western stuff. Do I like some genres more than others? Sometimes, but it changes. Variety and all that.<br /><br />Here’s where all the risk and uncertainty of a writer’s life pays off. Hustle enough and you can move along doing what you love. Like Doc, we get to leave our day jobs behind and forge a trail of our own choosing. I don’t get to carry pistols and get into saloon fights, so I’ll take my comparisons to Doc wherever I can get them. There’s a lot of more surefire ways to make a buck, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. As a lot of writers will tell you, any money you get from selling your work feels like a victory. And in the words of Fast Eddie Felson, “Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.”Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com0