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Pulp Literature No.23

Pulp Literature No.23

Contents
From the Pulp Lit Pulpit: First of the Summer Wine
In This Issue
Kelly Robson “Good for Grapes”
Feature Interview: Kelly Robson
Matthew Hughes “What the Wind Brings”
Mel Anastasiou “Stella Ryman and the Locked Room Mystery”
Casey Reiland “An Examination of a Freckle”
Christian Walter “Wolf, Dog, Sun”
Lena Mahmoud “The Thieving Pot”
Alison Braid “Asturias” (verse)
Deborah L. Davitt “On the Sixth Day”
Susan Pieters “Black Market”
Raluca Balasa “Waltz for My Brother”
Margot Spronk “Biophilia”
Deepthi Atukorala “White Rabbit”
The Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest
Josephine Greenland “Wife Giver”
Zoe Johnson “Inherited Love of Unexplainable Things”
Lola Ridge & Chaille Stovall “Wall Street at Night” (illustrated verse)
J.M. Landels “Allaigna’s Song: Aria” Verse 23–26
The Artists (bios)
Hall of Fame (Patreon supporters)
Marketplace
Conferences and Events
Magazines
Contests

Pulp Literature No.23 Summer 2019
Publisher: Pulp Literature Press
Managing Editor: Jennifer Landels
Acquisitions Editor: Melanie Anastasiou
Story Editor: Jessica Fabrizius
Poetry Editors: Daniel Cowper, Emily Osborne
Copy Editor/Designer: Amanda Bidnall
Proofreader: Mary Rykov
Cover Design: Kate Landels
Cover Art: Akem
216 pages
POD $14.99 Kindle $4.99
Pulp Literature website

Final Thoughts on PL15

Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017

Pulp Literature reads as good as it looks. It’s the product of a small team— mostly women—committed to their publishing company, with a track record that speaks for itself—15 quarterly issues delivered on schedule for nearly four years running [now even longer].

Most of the stories in this issue of Pulp Literature are outstanding—with the minority still worthy of your time and effort. This edition is an excellent place to start if you’re a new or occasional reader of the series. For regulars, the issue is another solid installment of the top-quality journal you’ve come to expect from Pulp Literature Press.

J.M. Landels’ Aria

Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017

Stories from Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017:

The first novel in the Allaigna’s Song trilogy by J.M. Landels, Overture, was serialized in Pulp Literature No. 1–11; and then collected into a single volume in July 2017. The second novel, Aria, began in PL No. 13, and this issue presents its third installment. The story opens with a short recap of the history and relationships of the story’s main characters. Because this is a segment of a larger piece, I found myself reviewing the recap a few times during the early pages to stay oriented. Let’s call it a sword and sorcery epic to provide a picture of Allaigna’s world quickly, but it is as much about the relationships of grandmother, mother, and daughter, each with differing agendas, each vying for control, as it is an adventure saga. The writing is strong, with a vibrant vocabulary. In this segment, for every action, there is an unequal reaction exploring its emotional impact.

Angela Post’s Sourdough

Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017

Stories from Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017:

“Sourdough” by Angela Post was the runner-up for the 2016 Surrey International Writer’s Conference (SiWC) Storyteller’s Award. Post is a psychologist by day and transforms her knowledge of the human heart into the story of “Sourdough’s” emotional journey from tragedy backto the land of the living. A powerful story, more literary than pulp.

Pulp Lit 15’s Flash

Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017

Stories from Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017:

Bob Thurber, the judge of the Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest, selected Ingrid Jendrzejewski’s “Crushed Velvet” as the winner. It’s a dazzling display of Flash. The runner-up, “Kiss, Kiss, Bang Bang” by Jay Allisan, is also included. Another excellent example of short, short storytelling.

Adam Golub’s Pool Guy

Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017

Stories from Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017:

Several bizarre threads run through “The Pool Guy” by Adam Golub. The random, quirky ideas are fun and entertaining, like overhearing an intriguing conversation on the bus. But just be prepared, when it’s time to get off, you’ll have to imagine what happens next from what you’ve already heard. “Pool Guy” was a runner up in Pulp Lit’s 2016 Raven Short Story Contest.

Susan Pieters’ Cannery Row

Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017

Stories from Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017:

Susan Pieters’ “Cannery Row” reads like a character study about a boy and his parents in 1970s Monterey, until its fantastical elements emerge. Pop is searching for the right conditions to farm abalone because the famous bay is fished out of everything else. Sonny busies himself taking photographs of his parents and the surrounding Cannery Row where writers like John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts once dwelt. The tale is atmospheric and subtle with enough intrigue to keep the pages turning. Pieters is the consulting editor for Pulp Literature.

A.M. Soto’s Pack Up Your Troubles

Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017

Stories from Pulp Literature No. 15 Summer 2017:

A.M. Soto’s short story, “Pack Up Your Troubles,” alternates between the internal and external perspectives of one of Earth’s invaders. The story unfolds through the narrative’s shifts in orientation, and the twists of expectations provide enough entertainment to keep things interesting

My thanks to Kevin Tipple and James Reasoner for their recent posts about The Digest Enthusiast No. 9.