Pulp writer : twenty years in the American Grub Street

He wrote under at least eight pseudonyms, published hundreds of short stories and novellas in pulp magazines, and lived a life at times as outrageous as his fiction. Pulp Writer tells of Paul S. Powers’s travels from serious literary ambitions to the pages of Wild West Weekly, of his seeking his fortune (or material, at any rate) in the ghost towns and mining camps of Colorado, and of his life in Arizona and California as he reaped the rewards of his wildly successful Wild West Weekly characters such as Sonny Tabor and Kid Wolf. Extending from the Great Depression to the golden age of the pulps, Powers’s career, chronicled here in often laugh-out-loud style, is an American success story of true grit and commercial savvy and of a larger-than-life character with questionable but endlessly entertaining Western lore to spare. In the process, he provides a valuable and rarely-chronicled look at the business of writing and publishing pulp fiction during its golden years. Powers’s granddaughter Laurie never knew her grandfather and lost touch with his side of the family. In her biographical essays, she finds her lost family and discovers the Pulp Writer manuscript. Her essays also provide a valuable historical context for pulp publications such as Wild West Weekly and their importance during the Great Depression. (20070627) He Wrote Under At Least Eight Pseudonyms, Published Hundreds Of Short Stories And Novellas In Pulp Magazines, And Lived A Life At Times As Outrageous As His Fiction. Pulp Writer Tells Of Paul S. Powers's Travels From Serious Literary Ambitions To The Pages Of Wild West Weekly, Of His Seeking His Fortune (or Material, At Any Rate) In The Ghost Towns And Mining Camps Of Colorado, And Of His Life In Arizona And California As He Reaped The Rewards Of His Wildly Successful Wild West Weekly Characters Such As Sonny Tabor And Kid Wolf. Extending From The Great Depression To The Golden Age Of The Pulps, Powers's Career, Chronicled Here In Often Laugh-out-loud Style, Is An American Success Story Of True Grit And Commercial Savvy And Of A Larger-than-life Character With Questionable But Endlessly Entertaining Western Lore To Spare. In The Process, He Provides A Valuable And Rarely-chronicled Look At The Business Of Writing And Publishing Pulp Fiction During Its Golden Years. Powers's Granddaughter Laurie Never Knew Her Grandfather And Lost Touch With His Side Of The Family. In Her Biographical Essays, She Finds Her Lost Family And Discovers The Pulp Writer Manuscript. Her Essays Also Provide A Valuable Historical Context For Pulp Publications Such As Wild West Weekly And Their Importance During The Great Depression.-- From The Publisher: List Of Illustrations -- Note On The Text -- Discovering Pulp Writer -- Pulp Writer: Twenty Years In The American Grub Street -- 1: I'd Write A Mile -- 2: King Of The Photoplay; And I Write A Joke -- 3: Art For The Artless -- 4: For Whom The Bellboy Toils -- 5: Darl And Heart -- 6: Ad Astra Per Aspera, Add Aspirin -- 7: Novel, And What Didn't Come Of It -- 8: General Grant Slept Here -- 9: Enter Mr Oliphant -- 10: Tricks Of The Trade -- 11: Tumbleweed In Arizona -- 12: Pilgrim In Santa Fe -- 13: Pulp Writer's Problems -- Life After The Pulps -- Afterword -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index. Paul S. Powers ; Edited And With Biographical Essays By Laurie Powers. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 265-267) And Index.
He wrote under at least eight pseudonyms, published hundreds of short stories and novellas in pulp magazines, and lived a life at times as outrageous as his fiction. Pulp Writer tells of Paul S. Powers’s travels from serious literary ambitions to the pages of Wild West Weekly , of his seeking his fortune (or material, at any rate) in the ghost towns and mining camps of Colorado, and of his life in Arizona and California as he reaped the rewards of his wildly successful Wild West Weekly characters such as Sonny Tabor and Kid Wolf.
 
Extending from the Great Depression to the golden age of the pulps, Powers’s career, chronicled here in often laugh-out-loud style, is an American success story of true grit and commercial savvy and of a larger-than-life character with questionable but endlessly entertaining Western lore to spare. In the process, he provides a valuable and rarely-chronicled look at the business of writing and publishing pulp fiction during its golden years.
 
Powers’s granddaughter Laurie never knew her grandfather and lost touch with his side of the family. In her biographical essays, she finds her lost family and discovers the Pulp Writer manuscript. Her essays also provide a valuable historical context for pulp publications such as Wild West Weekly and their importance during the Great Depression. From the Publisher: He wrote under at least eight pseudonyms, published hundreds of short stories and novellas in pulp magazines, and lived a life at times as outrageous as his fiction. Pulp Writer tells of Paul S. Powers's travels from serious literary ambitions to the pages of Wild West Weekly, of his seeking his fortune (or material, at any rate) in the ghost towns and mining camps of Colorado, and of his life in Arizona and California as he reaped the rewards of his wildly successful Wild West Weekly characters such as Sonny Tabor and Kid Wolf. Extending from the Great Depression to the golden age of the pulps, Powers's career, chronicled here in often laugh-out-loud style, is an American success story of true grit and commercial savvy and of a larger-than-life character with questionable but endlessly entertaining Western lore to spare. In the process, he provides a valuable and rarely-chronicled look at the business of writing and publishing pulp fiction during its golden years. Powers's granddaughter Laurie never knew her grandfather and lost touch with his side of the family. In her biographical essays, she finds her lost family and discovers the Pulp Writer manuscript. Her essays also provide a valuable historical context for pulp publications such as Wild West Weekly and their importance during the Great Depression Contents 8 Illustrations 9 A Note on the Text 10 Discovering Pulp Writer 14 1. I’d Write a Mile 66 2. King of the Photoplay; And I Write a Joke 80 3. Art for the Artless 94 4. For Whom the Bellboy Toils 110 5. Darl and Heart 122 6. Ad Astra Per Aspera, Add Aspirin 130 7. A Novel, and What Didn’t Come of It 144 8. General Grant Slept Here 158 9. Enter Mr. Oliphant 172 10. Tricks of the Trade 184 11. Tumbleweed in Arizona 198 12. Pilgrim in Santa Fe 214 13. A Pulp Writer’s Problems 224 Life after the Pulps 236 Afterword 266 Acknowledgments 270 Notes 272 Bibliography 278 Index 282 Enjoy this memoir-cum-biography of pulp writer Paul S. Powers, lovingly edited and framed by his granddaughter Laurie more than half a century later. Read of his endeavors towards "serious writing" before settling into a successful, if not as glamorous, career as a pulp writer of Western short fiction. Learn about his exploits in the ghost towns and mining cities of the Southwest, his struggle through the Great Depression and the crazy life he led that, at times, rivaled the novelty of his work A master of driving pace, exotic setting, and complex plotting, Harold Lamb was one of Robert E. Howard's favorite writers. Here at last is every pulse-pounding, action-packed story of Lamb's greatest hero, Khlit the Cossack, the "wolf of the steppes