Chris Rhatigan has been writing flash fiction and short stories for about three years now. He is the co-editor, along with Nigel Bird (who blogs here at Sea Minor), of Pulp Ink, an anthology of twenty-four short dark, twisted tales, each inspired by a song from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack and written by some of the best crime fiction writers around. (Here's my two penn'orth.) He stopped by recently for a natter - over to you, Chris.
Tell me about your book.
Pulp Ink is a mammoth collection of crime stories with a doctor-recommended dosage of swearing and violence. It's twenty-four stories from the likes of Allan Guthrie, Michael J. Solender, Reed Farrel Coleman, Sandra Seamans, Patti Abbott, and Chris F. Holm.
When co-editor Nigel Bird and I decided to put this together our goal was simple — put a bunch of great writers in the same book and make it cheap. Lovers of crime fiction should jump on this.
And if they don't ... I will personally make sure they regret that decision.
How much difference does an editor make?
It's hard to say. I think where Nigel and I made the biggest difference was simply getting all these folks on board. We did a good deal of proofreading, but didn't really mess with the stories we received that much — maybe a suggestion here or there, nothing major.
That said, there are editors out there who work with writers to make their stories really sing — maybe take a good story and make it outstanding. I hope to develop into one of those editors. I'm taking over the website All Due Respect in the spring, and I'm reading all new submissions for them. (Submissions are closed as of now but will be open soon.)
Pulp Ink is a mammoth collection of crime stories with a doctor-recommended dosage of swearing and violence. It's twenty-four stories from the likes of Allan Guthrie, Michael J. Solender, Reed Farrel Coleman, Sandra Seamans, Patti Abbott, and Chris F. Holm.
When co-editor Nigel Bird and I decided to put this together our goal was simple — put a bunch of great writers in the same book and make it cheap. Lovers of crime fiction should jump on this.
And if they don't ... I will personally make sure they regret that decision.
How much difference does an editor make?
It's hard to say. I think where Nigel and I made the biggest difference was simply getting all these folks on board. We did a good deal of proofreading, but didn't really mess with the stories we received that much — maybe a suggestion here or there, nothing major.
That said, there are editors out there who work with writers to make their stories really sing — maybe take a good story and make it outstanding. I hope to develop into one of those editors. I'm taking over the website All Due Respect in the spring, and I'm reading all new submissions for them. (Submissions are closed as of now but will be open soon.)
What are your views on e-books?
Love em. That's most of what I'm reading right now. Here are all these fantastic folks (Julie Morrigan is one of them!) who are publishing these splendid books and selling them for dirt cheap prices. Also, the e-book format provides an opportunity for authors who have a great idea that isn't right for the traditional publishing world, which has a very narrow focus. So if you have a killer short story collection or a novella, you can just release it now. Try pitching one of those to traditional publisher if you're not already a known quantity — you'd get laughed out of the room.
I also don't really understand these folks who bitch and moan about how much crap is published in e-book form. Here's my point: Head over to Barnes and Noble and pick up the first book you see. It's probably fucking garbage. Like Jewel's book of poetry or something by Nicholas Sparks.
So, yeah, there's a lot of shitty e-books out there, but it's fairly simple to separate the good from the bad. If I've read a few of the writer's stories online and the book has a good cover and an intriguing blurb, it's probably going to be something I like.
How do you feel about reviews?
I run a site (Death By Killing) that's mostly reviews of short stories. Although I use the term ‘review’ loosely — basically I'm a recommender, not a reviewer. (If I read something and don't like it, I just don't post about it.) All I can really do is say that I liked something and a little bit about why I liked it. I have fairly particular tastes. I tend toward the darker sides of genre fiction (crime, of course, but also horror and sci-fi) and I'm into the kind of subversive fiction on the internet.
To actually answer the question, reviews are helpful when I'm considering investing my time in a new writer. If R. Thomas Brown or Sabrina Ogden say that they dig a certain author, I probably will too.
Love em. That's most of what I'm reading right now. Here are all these fantastic folks (Julie Morrigan is one of them!) who are publishing these splendid books and selling them for dirt cheap prices. Also, the e-book format provides an opportunity for authors who have a great idea that isn't right for the traditional publishing world, which has a very narrow focus. So if you have a killer short story collection or a novella, you can just release it now. Try pitching one of those to traditional publisher if you're not already a known quantity — you'd get laughed out of the room.
I also don't really understand these folks who bitch and moan about how much crap is published in e-book form. Here's my point: Head over to Barnes and Noble and pick up the first book you see. It's probably fucking garbage. Like Jewel's book of poetry or something by Nicholas Sparks.
So, yeah, there's a lot of shitty e-books out there, but it's fairly simple to separate the good from the bad. If I've read a few of the writer's stories online and the book has a good cover and an intriguing blurb, it's probably going to be something I like.
How do you feel about reviews?
I run a site (Death By Killing) that's mostly reviews of short stories. Although I use the term ‘review’ loosely — basically I'm a recommender, not a reviewer. (If I read something and don't like it, I just don't post about it.) All I can really do is say that I liked something and a little bit about why I liked it. I have fairly particular tastes. I tend toward the darker sides of genre fiction (crime, of course, but also horror and sci-fi) and I'm into the kind of subversive fiction on the internet.
To actually answer the question, reviews are helpful when I'm considering investing my time in a new writer. If R. Thomas Brown or Sabrina Ogden say that they dig a certain author, I probably will too.
What are you reading now?
Patti Abbott's Monkey Justice. It's an incredible collection. For me, there's no writer out there who does a better job with character development.
What's your favourite part of the creative process?
I love, love, love coming up with ideas. The initial spark and thinking about a story when I'm out for a walk or in the shower or going to sleep. Easily the best part of writing for me.
How can we keep up to date with your news?
My blog, Death by Killing. I've got a bunch of published stories up there, plus short reviews of short stories, links to joints I hang out in, all that kind of good stuff.
What would your epitaph be?
‘You're next.’
Patti Abbott's Monkey Justice. It's an incredible collection. For me, there's no writer out there who does a better job with character development.
What's your favourite part of the creative process?
I love, love, love coming up with ideas. The initial spark and thinking about a story when I'm out for a walk or in the shower or going to sleep. Easily the best part of writing for me.
How can we keep up to date with your news?
My blog, Death by Killing. I've got a bunch of published stories up there, plus short reviews of short stories, links to joints I hang out in, all that kind of good stuff.
What would your epitaph be?
‘You're next.’
Thanks, Chris, for a great Q&A.
Pulp Ink is a cracking collection and is available from Amazon UK, Amazon US and Smashwords for just £2.12/$2.99.
Pulp Ink is a cracking collection and is available from Amazon UK, Amazon US and Smashwords for just £2.12/$2.99.
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