A Conversation With Laurie Powers, Part Two
MB: How has your life changed with the publication of Pulp Writer?
LP: Well, the best part is that is has opened up a whole new world of people for me, like those people that I’ve met through the marketing of Pulp Writer and through online groups like Pulp Mags, Western Pulps and Black Horse Westerns, which was the one that started it all for me (thanks to Matt Mayo who introduced me). Unfortunately the income from the book has been miniscule. But that’s the way of the book world right now I guess.
MB: Along with westerns, what genres do you read? What other pulps are you interested in?
LP: For pulps, I am beginning to read more of the detective pulps. This summer I bought my first issues of Black Mask and I’m trying to collect more anthologies. I’m also interested in the romance pulps, mainly because I’m interested in the life of Daisy Bacon, the editor of Love Story Magazine. As far as other reads, I enjoy all types of genres, as well as classics and memoirs, and a history book now and then.
MB: What can you tell us about your experience with horses?
LP: It’s a long history that started when I was ten and living in England. I started to take riding lessons there and was never the same. But I really didn’t start riding seriously until I was in my twenties; my family couldn’t afford lessons when I was growing up, much less a horse. I started riding and showing in my twenties and really didn’t stop until just a few years ago, when time and finances put a stop to that.
MB: You’ve written on your blog about female pulp writers. You’ve also written a wonderful series about movies shot in the Santa Clarita valley. Is there potential in either topic for a new book?
LP: I’m interested in pursuing something about Daisy Bacon, who was an editor, but again, the data is so sparse, it’s hard to say. The movies in Santa Clarita Valley series has been fun, but really, I’d have to devote a lot more time and research in order to do a respectable book. We’ll see.
MB: What are you working on currently?
LP: Right now, I’m trying to see which direction to go. I’ve been so busy lately with blog stuff that I haven’t had time to blink. But I can see that working on getting this collection of his stories out there is paramount. Other than that, I’m looking at how I can write about Daisy Bacon and also maybe some memoir writing is in my future. I’m going to England the end of February and hope to get some creative juices going while I’m there.
MB: Your blog, Laurie’s Wild West, has rapidly become one of my favorite stops on the web, thanks to a unique diversity of content and your upbeat writing style. How do you approach it each day?
LP: By the seat of my pants! I have no plans except I try to mix it up so I don’t go stale and the readers don’t get bored. I have so many different interests and my readers are the same, so it behooves me to give everything equal time.
I found it striking that you commented on my ‘upbeat’ writing style. Over the past several months I’ve noticed how I tend to interject more and more humor into my writing. But in real life, I’m relatively quiet and tend to be too serious. Really. I guess I’m like my grandfather that way, who outwardly was on the intense side but could be very funny in his stories. He was also a joke writer before he was a fiction writer.
MB: What are the pros and cons of blogging?
LP: The pros are meeting other bloggers like you who become friends. I also learn so much from reading other people’s blogs. In addition, writing a blog is good practice for other writing: it can loosen up blocks and the positive reinforcement you get from comments really helps a lot. The only con I can think of is an obvious one: how much of a time hog it can be.
MB: Having studied the pulp years and your grandfather’s career, what are the major differences between being a professional writer in the 1930s and the 2010s?
LP: There’s still much of the same as far as the challenges in writing a good story, overcoming your own demons that keep you from writing, and the lack of good money in writing. But I think the internet has helped a great deal when it comes to bringing writers together, which cuts down on the isolation. In addition, there is the computer factor itself – nowadays you can correct as you go. Pulp writers never had that luxury in the 1930s.
on January 14, 2010 at 8:48 am
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Marvelous interview.
And I hope everyone checks out BEAT to a PULP this Saturday when we have the honor of publishing “The Killing on Sutter Street” by Paul S. Powers.
on January 14, 2010 at 9:32 am
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Good words. I identify with Laurie’s comments on blogging for sure. I’ve not gotten into the crime pulps myself
on January 14, 2010 at 9:49 am
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Hi Folks,
Great interview. Keep writing, Laurie. The world wants your words–the success of your blog (one of the finer reads on my daily blog rounds) proves it.
Cheers,
Matt
on January 14, 2010 at 10:09 am
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Great interview!
on January 14, 2010 at 12:18 pm
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I’ll look forward to that new story collection. And the world needs that Santa Clarita Valley film book.
on January 14, 2010 at 1:02 pm
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Thanks for the kind words, gang. I am seriously thinking of doing something with that series, Dave.
on January 14, 2010 at 6:02 pm
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I never bothered much with blogs before until I happend upon Laurie’s and now I seem to need a fix of the Wild West every day.
on January 14, 2010 at 6:24 pm
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Thanks again, Rich. I enjoyed doing this interview. And hopefully everyone will tune into BEAT TO A PULP on Saturday to read my grandfather’s story “A Killing on Sutter Street.”
on January 15, 2010 at 3:45 pm
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I really enjoyed hearing about your life and outlook, Laurie. I hope you’ll be back from England in time for us to meet. I’ll be in So Cal around mid-March.
on January 16, 2010 at 4:28 pm
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I should be around, Cap’n.