James Reasoner's Diamondback

A couple of pals say undeservedly nice things about me on their blogs: James Reasoner at his Rough Edges page and Juri Nummelin at Pulpetti.  It's all about James' novel, Diamondback, and an itsy-bitsy part I played in its twisty publishing history.  Thank you, guys! But the real kudos go to Juri, who worked hard to get the book published (you can read the details at Pulpetti), and to James, who wrote a very entertaining action novel. Diamondback would have made a great Gold Medal paperback novel back in the 1960s, the glory days of paperback originals. Lucky us, we get to read it these days as an eBook! Recommended reading.


Accompanying this post is a cover photo of the illo I produced for Juri's project. I may have another version of the art that I can post here later, if I can dig it up, that allows some comparisons for before-and-after the typography is added.

Review of Pretty Polly

Texas gentleman James Reasoner has posted a positive review of Pretty Polly over at his blog, Rough Edges. I greatly appreciate it.

James is a fine writer with more than 200 books to his credit, and more to come. Everything I've read by him has been entertaining. One of my favorites is Under Outlaw Flags, which combines the western with World War I action.

He has two recent releases:

One is a western, Rancho Diablo #2: Hangrope Law, under the pseudonym Colby Jackson. Jackson is a name shared by three writers--Mel Odom, Bill Crider, and James--who are writing a western series they've created under a single nom de sixshooter. They are releasing the Rancho Diablo series as eBooks for the Kindle and the Nook.

His second new release is from Berkley, Redemption, Kansas. It's available both as a paperback and an eBook. Troy D. Smith has a nice review of Redemption, Kansas, over at the Western Fictioneers blog.

James' review of Pretty Polly suggests that the villain, Griswold Bear (aka Grizzly or Grisly, depending on whom your talking to), should make a return appearance. I have to admit I hadn't thought about that. I fully expect Sheriff Shoat to show up in another story, but maybe Griswold also deserves another fictional outing. I'll have to let that percolate in the brain pan. It's worth considering.