Frontier Publishing

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net/

ACTION/ADVENTURE

DIAMONDBACK by Derrick Ferguson
Diamondback Vogel, the legendary hitman and gangster, is dead. At least that's what everybody thinks until a man claiming to be him appears in Denbrook and sets in motion a series of events that will turn the town's organized crime on its ear. Monthly. A Denbrook novel.

DILLON AND THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN BELL by Derrick Ferguson
Dillon is off on yet another adventure, as an ancient legend and an aging mentor drag him halfway across the world in search of an artifact of ultimate power: the Golden Bell! Monthly.

SEXKITTEN by Megan Curtis
Monthly. A Denbrook novel.



SPECULATIVE FICTION

CITY OF REDDING by Michael Exner III
An infant child dies in a world not our own. In the wilderness of a world not his own, a young boy is found by an archer in exile. William Mathis is transported from a world he believes is sane, to a world at once terrifying and beautiful - maddening and familiar. And they are all connected by a city that calls to them through their blood. A city of Redding. Monthly.

DREAMER'S SYNDROME by Mark Bousquet
How much time do you spend each day staring out the window, or at the walls of your cubicle, dreaming of a life less boring? What did you want to be, in your childhood's mind, when you grew up? The angels have come to Earth and granted everyone this dreamer's wish, whether they want it, or not. The angels have acted, and now humanity must make their way in this New World. Monthly.

EXILES OF THE DIRE PLANET by Joel Jenkins
Garvey Dire is back. A modern Earthman trapped on ancient Mars, Garvey has made a home for himself and even taken a wife. But it isn't long before Garvey's wanderer's spirit and the natural perils that surround him pull him into yet another alien world-spanning adventure. Monthly.

FIERCE POP SONGS by Bill Kte'pi
Six high-fidelity short stories, covering every beat from the end-of-the-world to horrific love to post modern fairy tales. Completed.

MYTHWORLD by Russ Anderson
Charlie Reese, a young architect of mixed descent, is pulled into a game of modern-day gods and monsters. Monthly.

OCTANE SHIV by Matt Pierce
Completed. A Denbrook novel.

PLANNING FOR A LONG ETERNITY by Tom Lynch
A British man with spectacular powers is the first line of defense between our world and daemon incursion. But when he meets another person with his role and his powers, he learns that Heaven might have more planned for him than even he thought. Completed.




HORROR/SUSPENSE

CHEMICAL BURN by Mike McGee
Freddy Jablowski is a cop with nothing to his name but a handful of friends and a suspension. When an ex-girlfriend re-enters his life, what little life he has is turned upside-down in a web of misunderstandings and murder. Completed.

CLUB RED by Joel Jenkins
Damon St. Cloud is a vampire hunter with far too many good reasons to stay the hell away from Denbrook, but when clues start to appear pointing toward the people who murdered his family, he finds himself drawn back to the city and the undead subculture that controls it. Monthly. A Denbrook novel.

THE LUCIFER MASK by Josh Reynolds
Monthly.

LUNA COURT by Mike McGee
Monthly. A Denbrook novel.

MISSING PERSONS by Michael Franzoni
Completed. A Denbrook novel.

MISSING PERSONS: THE SEPTEMBER STATION by Michael Franzoni
Monthly. A Denbrook novel.

MR. GRIM by Steve Seinberg
A strange man, victim of a burglary, has a rapidly dwindling supply of hours in which to recover his most prized possession: his heart... Completed.

PENTAGRAM WHISPERS by Tom Lynch
Completed. A Denbrook novel.

WICKED by Mike McGee
Completed.



GENERAL FICTION

FLIES IN THE BUTTERMILK by Kevin McGowin
Completed.

A LONG WALK, SLOWLY by Michael Franzoni
Geoff Thompson is a man with nothing left to lose and nothing left to live for. Still, he walks through each day as a ghost, too afraid to take the next step. And now, one stroke of fate is about to change his life forever. Monthly.




ANTHOLOGIES

FRONTIER edited by Russ Anderson

DEATH edited by Mike Exner III

CREATURES edited by Mike McGee

HISTORY edited by Russ Anderson

MASKS edited by Mike Exner III

[DLFerguson]

Now at Frontier Publishing:



http://www.frontierpublishing.net



Frontier is proud to present the newest title in its lineup – THE LUCIFER MASK by Josh Reynolds.



Sporting a funky-fresh cover by Tom Jakab (designer of the new CHEMICAL BURN cover), LUCIFER MASK details the journey of an ancient, powerful mask that may or may not have belonged to the Lord of Flies back in his heyday. Joshua Reynolds’ first foray into the high-paced Frontier community, this first chapter is already kicking on all cylinders. Check it out.



On a related note – not quite an ironic one, but curiously coincidental – we’ve also got the penultimate story in the MASKS anthology – “Fire the Asylum”, a WWII-era tale starring a pair of pulpy action hero Nazi-fighters as only Joel Jenkins (CLUB RED, EXILES OF THE DIRE PLANET) can write ‘em. Check that out after you read Lucifer Mask.



The rest of the releases you can read in any order you like. Just make sure you read ‘em!



Also on the plate for this week:



City of Redding, Chapter 14

By Mike Exner III

One of the characters in this story is wearing a mask! Not like a Halloween mask, but like a face that masks who he is from the rest of the world. See if you can figure out which one.



Club Red, Chapter 8

By Joel Jenkins

This book is all about masks! Vampires pretending to be people, werewolves pretending to be thralls to vampires, nubile female reporters pretending they don’t have the hots for the title’s lead character…. I could go on all day, but just read it already.



Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell, Chapter 8

By Derrick Ferguson

No masks in this one, but that shouldn’t be a surprise – there aren’t even any bells in it so far, and “Bell” is in the title! Still, it is a kicking action yarn in the mighty Ferguson tradition, and includes what I believe to be Frontier Publishing’s first aerial dogfight! Who needs masks?



Dreamer’s Syndrome, Chapter 2

By Mark Bousquet

The whole world is wearing masks in this novel by Mark Bousquet (yes, “All God’s Children” Mark Bousquet). God has granted everyone their childhood wish, so you’ve got a world overrun with pirates, princesses, ruggedly handsome rangers, talking parrots (…er?), and I’m sure we’ll see some superheroes down the line. See what I mean? Masks everywhere!



A Long Walk, Slowly, Chapter 4

By Michael Franzoni

Geoff, the star of this book, has been wearing a mask of conformity all his life. Now, in the wake of his brother’s death, he finds himself on a spontaneous – for him – bus ride with his brother’s ex-girlfriend, and pretty soon you know the masks are coming off…





Russ Anderson

Editor, Frontier Publishing

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

An assassin stares coldly through a set of inhuman, artificial eyes...but the blood that's splashed over the streets of Denbrook is all too human, and all too real. Bitter criminal rivals manipulate low-lifes and law enforcement alike to win control of the city's underworld: Everyone is owned by someone. The few good cops can't touch the underbosses, and are themselves outnumbered by the crooked men in their own ranks. But -- for all the gruesome removal of pawns on every side -- the game of organized crime in Denbrook remains a stalemate. No one faction has any hope of establishing total dominion...

Until he breezes into town.

Diamondback Vogel. If he is Diamondback Vogel. Unseen for years, believed gone for good, it's impossible that he should be in Denbrook now -- but no one can afford to pretend he isn't there. Because...if the impossible is true...then the side that Diamondback claims as his own will seize power over Denbrook.

Unless no one wants to wait and see who Diamondback picks. Unless the underworld decides it's safer to just take him out of the picture before he gets the chance to pick anybody.

And Denbrook's criminal element isn't known for its optimism...

DIAMONDBACK by Derrick Ferguson

[DLFerguson]

No memory, no past. These words describe a woman named Hailey. Everything she thought she was has now been shown to be a lie. Faces from the past appear, but without any recognition, and the only thing that could ruin the life she has built in Denbrook-- is herself.

Given a gift, Hailey chooses to use her newfound powers for good, rather than the evil that was intended. But the war in her mind is just beginning, and Hailey never knows when another will take posession of her body and her powers.



"Sex Kitten aims to entertain, and succeeds marvelously."
-Justin Garrett Blum

"How could anyone not be drawn to that title? Based on the mystery that is Hailey's abilities, I have to say I'm more than curious as to where they take her."
-Thomas Moses


SexKitten by Megan Curtis at Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net/

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

Special minimum effort update announcement since I just got home from
Baltimore, where I was previous to being in New York City, where I was previous to
being back in Baltimore, and I don't live in NYC *or* Baltimore. But Derrick
Ferguson and the entire Frontier editorial staff got to hang out with JLU2001's
Curt Fernlund and celebrity writer dude Tom Deja at the Brooklyn Small Press
Expo...actually, the entire Frontier staff and Derrick Ferguson and Curt
Fernlund inadvertantly abandoned Tom Deja at the Brooklyn Small Press Expo because I
needed to go out for a cigarette and then these chicks were doing performance
"poetry" erotica and then...um, well, anyway, a good time was had by all.
Mostly. Onward!

Exiles of the Dire Planet - Chapter 9 - by Joel Jenkins
Astronaut-turned-Martian-immigrant Garvey Dire heads back to safety after his
latest adventures, only to find himself in even *more* trouble when someone
close to him is murdered...and the powers that be think Garvey's the culprit.

Masks - Story #6 - by Mike McGee
This is why you must submit to the anthologies. When you don't, the editors
start writing having to write stories, and.....

Missing Persons: The September Station - Chapter 6, by Michael Franzoni
Corrigan's former partner wrestles with his injuries, one of Corrigan's
current partners gets really, *really* lost, and Corrigan himself re-enters the
surreal, timelost world of the September Station.

Mythworld - Chapter 22 - by Russ Anderson
Charlie spirits Alanis away, and learns that her brief encounter with the
divine has left her profoundly, maybe irrevocably, and quite possibly fatally
changed. Alanis learns the secret of the Men in White, but she may not be
learning much after that....

SexKitten - Chapter 17 - by Megan Curtis
Paris begins her hunt for Helen, but Paris' friends aren't playing right.
Helen's friends aren't playing right, either, and are really mad because they
don't think Helen's been playing right. Everybody's just really pissed off. Yeah!

Next update, Noir begins, and there'll also be new chapters of City of
Redding and Dillon and Club Red and The Lucifer Mask and Dreamer's Syndrome and
probably something else I'm just not even thinking of right now. Sweet baby Jesus.
It's gonna be huge. So, y'know...um...you should read it. And you should also
badger Derrick into doing an audio book of Dillon and the Voice of Odin,
because even though the whole time he was reading several pages of it to an
audience of people in '80s punk rawker gear and performance artists I was hiding my
face in a book so that I wouldn't look at him and make him laugh or something,
it was totally awesome. Look at the picture of Derrick and imagine him
reading, "Girl, don't MAKE me give you an ass-whuppin'," and you will start to see
just how magical an event this really was. There are pictures, and most of them
will be up on the site soon.

...Except the ones I'm in.

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuunity,
Mike McGee

[DLFerguson]

Pictures from my appearance/reading at The Brooklyn Alternative Small Press Fair can be found here http://www.frontierpublishing.net/editorials/200406.html

[DLFerguson]

Derrick Ferguson Interview

Show: The Do-It-Yourself Author Show

Program #: 04-21

Dates: The interview will air the week of July 12th

Days: Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Shows repeat at random on Sunday

Times: 2, 6 & 10 a.m. & p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time)



To listen to the show:

1) Visit the Leisure Talk Radio Network website (www.leisuretalk.net

2) Click on the LISTEN button (left side of web page)

3) If you do not have RealAudio/WinAmp or Windows media software, links are provided for free download.



.

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net



Club Red - Chapter 10, by Joel Jenkins
Damon St. Cloud's quest for bloody vengeance on Denbrook's vampire populace comes to, uh, a bloodi...er end as Damon tries one last time to...you know...get his vengeance...um.... All right, look, it's the last chapter, and basically he's gonna either get his bloody vengeance or not, right? I'm not really sure what else to say here. If you haven't been reading this so far, it's probably because you're all like, "Ohh, scary vampires! They get killed by a splinter." But did you know that the vampires in Joel's story aren't the typical darkclad nancy boys you've come to expect at all, but are actually kind of tough and have these like glyphs on walls and stuff that mark their territory that you can only see if you have these special glasses on or are, yourself, a vampire? I mean, that's kinda cool! Also, there's villains you wouldn't expect, like a werewolf and a guy Derrick killed in his first Dillon novel. Yes! Even Derrick didn't know that guy would be there. But there he IS! But it's okay, because Joel and Derrick are cool like that. I wouldn't suggest you use any of Derrick's characters.
Derrick'll kill you, man.

Look, here comes Derrick now!

Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell - Chapter 10, by Derrick Ferguson
Dillon is given the choice of betraying his friends or getting killed. Ha! Dillon'll kill you, man. Get it? He will kill YOU, brah. What in the hell are you thinking? Damn.

Dreamer's Syndrome - Chapter 4, by Mark Bousquet
In a world gone proverbially mad -- where proverbs are perverted beyond recognition! Hold me, Virginia. Let me try this again...in a world where everyone is granted their childhood desires...not THOSE childhood desires...I mean, like, if you wanted to be Spider-Man, there's you, you're Spider-Man, like that. In this world, perpetual sad sack Frederic Kornell becomes this Aragorn type fella, protecting the ladies and all, but discovers too late for a viciously-attacked Kelly Reed that the clothes don't make the man and that he is, in fact, still a total pussy. Meanwhile, Kelly's old boyfriend, who is now a pirate, steals some paint. Plus, all the talking parrots have vanished mysteriously. How can you possibly NOT want to read this?

Frontier Anthology: Noir - Story #3: "Movement and Repose," by Danny Souder
In the debut Frontier story by writer Danny Souder, a haunted narrator comes to a strange city to escape the memory of a lost love, hurling himself into the dark world of...um...baseball. No, for real. He goes to a baseball game. But then things start to get a little....weird.

A Long Walk, Slowly - Chapter 5, by Michael Franzoni
Geoff and Erin arrive in San Francisco, and Geoff gets a better insight into the way his brother lived (and died) than he probably really wanted. But is Erin telling him everything?

The Lucifer Mask - Chapter 3, by Josh Reynolds
Revelations about Cash's true nature abound as the battle to keep the Lucifer Mask out of the hands of evil gets brutal. If you haven't been reading Josh's intense action/horror four-parter -- well, why the hell not? It's the most fun summer movie you can read off a PC screen, and that cover...man oh man.

Next month, we've got the return of Derrick's Diamondback, new chapters of...well, you know, pretty much everything (I hope), two more all-new Noir stories, and one or two surprises, too. Yarrr!








.

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

Greetings, Frontier folk. We have a very boisterous and bountiful
update for you this time around, so sit up and pay attention. As I
call your name, please stand up and say a little something about
yourself so the rest of the update can get to know you…

NOIR Anthology, Story 4
"Cleveland," by Curt Fernlund

Curt Fernlund presents us with the story of
Jillian, a very unique girl living in a hard, filthy world. Jillian
will do anything to survive, and if you read the story, you'll know
what I mean.

Mythworld, Chapter 24
By Russ Anderson

The FINAL chapter of Mythworld!

…No, just kidding. This is actually the chapter right BEFORE the
final chapter of Mythworld, so you don't have to worry just yet about
there being no more Mythworld to read. You… ARE all reading
Mythworld, aren't you? If you're not, I just don't know what to say
to you people. Probably… "Pleh." That sounds right. In this
chapter, Charlie Reese watches a clash between the gods unfold before
him, there's ANOTHER surprising resurrection (kinda), and if you're
squeamish at all, I promise there are NO SNAKES! Read!

Missing Persons, The September Station, Chapter 8
By Mike Franzoni

Seren, the creepy little bald girl experiences the thoughts of a man
who experienced the creepiness of the September Station for himself.
Meanwhile, Matthew Corrigan and company are experiencing the
creepiness of the September Station themselves, and at the same time
an expose about Matthew Corrigan detailing his gifts is probably
creeping out everybody in Denbrook. Man, there's a lot going on in
this book. I like it!

SexKitten, Chapter 19
By Megan Curtis

Every time I want to read SexKitten, I'm at work. And do you KNOW
what they do to me at work? They restrict my access to SexKitten
because of the word SEX! Ridiculous! Is it because they don't want
me to go online to "adult" websites and view material of an unseemly
nature? No, no I don't think that's it at all. I think there's a
conspiracy out there trying to restrict good, honest, God-fearing
people from reading SexKitten. I have half a mind to start me a
protest. But, until I can organize this thing, somebody go read
SexKitten and let me know what happens. I'm dying over here!

Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 11
By Joel Jenkins

Hear ye! Hear ye! In this corner: native Earthling and foreigner to
the world of Mars. Denizen of the Muvari tribe, husband to Ntashia
and a real swell guy too (although don't tell the Muvari males that)…
Garvey Dire! And, in this corner: Muvari male (had to be, right?),
winner of three of the last five Ledgrim Tournaments, cheap and dirty
fighter supreme, and a real cocky son of a gun… Bray Kraz! Who wins
this titanic clash of titans? I know! But you won't, unless you
read the latest chapter of Exiles.

I also see something about some sort of "Witches" editorial, but when
I click that link, all I get is shots of my ugly mug, so I wouldn't
suggest anybody try that until our webmaster gets that little section
all squared away. Thanks.

And that's all she (or, our writers) wrote, folks. Until next time,
I'm Mike Exner, and I used to write for Frontier Publishing until my
computer decided to disown me.

Mike Exner III
Editor, Frontier Publishing

www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

BIG happenings at Frontier this week. I mean, REALLY big! Big as Big can be, in fact…



NOT ONLY are we debuting a brand-new design for the home page… NOT ONLY does this release mark the finale of Josh Reynolds’ spooky opus, The Lucifer Mask… NOT ONLY have we got a bunch of new features, including a calendar page and new individual staff pages… but we’ve also got the debut of a new zombie thriller by our own Joel Jenkins’ (you remember him right? Dire Planet, Exiles of the Dire Planet, Club Red, et. al.?). Check out all the madness at:



http://www.frontierpublishing.net



Now for the details (the devil’s in them, you know… just ask Josh Reynolds):





By Sepulchral Winds, Chapter 1

by Joel Jenkins

Trying to escape the zombie infection that has consumed the entire country, a pair of young people ride toward Mexico on a stolen motorcycle. But when they finally run into some other people who haven’t been infected, they learn that not all monsters are of the flesh-eating variety. Suspense Branch.



Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell, Chapter 11

by Derrick Ferguson

Dillon makes a daring escape from Evarghan Trout’s transplanted penthouse jungle, and makes final preparations for his invasion of the Blagdasen Citadel. The Golden Bell is close enough to touch. Parental advisory: This chapter includes scene of cruelty to animals and child endangerment. And lots of ass-kicking. ‘Cause that’s how we do things at the Action Branch.



Dreamer’s Syndrome, Chapter 5

by Mark Bousquet

Austin’s prank against the pirate ship Cottonmather reaps some unexpected and unpleasant consequences. Meanwhile, the deception wrought by Brad Regent – the new king of New England – grows ever deeper. Speculative Branch.



A Long Walk, Slowly, Chapter 6

by Michael Franzoni

Geoff finds out some nasty truths about why and how his brother died, as Erin slowly begins to lose her marbles. General Fiction branch.



The Lucifer Mask, Chapter 4

by Josh Reynolds

This is it! Cash Teague and his motley trio of friends are all that stands between Melek Taus – that’s Lucifer to you – and the mortal plane. Expect lots of kicking and exploding as Lucifer Mask goes out with a bang and a boom. Suspense Branch.



Noir Anthology, Story 5

Keep the Cars Running, by Russ Anderson

A new recycling technology that allows mankind to turn any kind of waste into fuel seems like a real-life godsend... especially to some mob wiseguys looking for a new way to dispose of dead bodies...





See how big that is? And if you STILL aren’t impressed (and if that’s the case… really, what’s wrong with you?), there will be even MORE big stuff next month! Trust me, I’ve seen it. And it’s BIG. King Kong BIG. Just you wait.



Russ Anderson

Editor, Frontier Publishing

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

The Frontier update. It's Labor Day! Ironically, a day on which all of
us are expected NOT to labor. Yet labor Frontier has done. Like the
little girl in The Ring, Frontier never sleeps. It's freaky!

ONYX REVOLVER - CHAPTER 1, by Thomas Deja
If you've keyed up the site, there's just no WAY you haven't noticed
that intense and glowery anime chick pointing a gun at you.
Hey...guess what that's about? Big-time, legit, celebrity writer guy
(and rumored Outkast fan, but I'll let that slide) Thomas Deja brings
us the debut chapter of a novel chronicling the bloody adventures of a
teen-pop diva gone homicidally homicidal. Yes! And what's more, expect
Chapter 2 in just two short weeks, Chapter 3 two weeks after
that...well, you get the idea. Twice! Monthly!! Updates!!! Could this
update be even more event-y? Ha ha, sucka. Look!

MYTHWORLD - CHAPTER 25, by Russ Anderson
Two years of adventuring with Charlie Reese, the modern Greek Pantheon
and their multivarious friends and foes comes to the proverbial
shocking climax as...heh. Like I'm gonna tell you. But expect carnage,
the death of deities, and some final (?) farewells as Charlie at long
last figures out Lightfoot's plan -- and his own crucial role in it.
You won't be disappointed.

And, only slightly less event-y:

EXILES OF THE DIRE PLANET - CHAPTER 12, by Joel Jenkins
Typically, when Martian warrior women have visions of death and
carnage, it's a good idea to, you know, pay attention to them.
Nevertheless, Ntashia's vision of the Exiles' attack on the sleeping
Muvari proves to be the precursor to -- wait for it -- the Exiles'
attack on the sleeping Muvari. Good God, how much of this crap does
poor Garvey Dire have to endure? Can't the man at least get some
goddamn sleep?! I know how pissed off I'd be, so I'm sure some folks
are about to get seriously jacked UP.

FRONTIER ANTHOLOGY: NOIR - STORY #6: "Noirscape in Off-White," by Kevin
McGowin
Noir concludes with this tale from reader favorite Kevin (Flies in the
Buttermilk) McGowin -- about as cool and modern a take on the genre as
you're likely to find. A haunted writer tries to escape his ghosts
through addiction, but his past remains just as real to him as his
present -- and it's hard to say which one is worse. And, you know,
just in case you're worried that Kevin might be getting all
autobiographical on us here and need to be put on suicide watch or
something, he dons his composed academic hat to show us he's really
okay and provide a very informative and insightful editorial on the
subject of noir itself -- also not to be missed.

SEXKITTEN - CHAPTER 20, by Megan Curtis
At last Hailey confronts Josh, and it doesn't look like things are
gonna go well for this sonofabitch who desperately deserves to be shot
at all. It's...well...a real noir situation here. But nothing is as
simple as it seems, and a much deadlier enemy has plans for SexKitten.

Back in two weeks :cool:

[DLFerguson]

...then you have another chance to hear Derrick Ferguson being interviewed on The Do-It-Yourself Author Show hosted by Jana Oliver. Derrick will be discussing his novel, Dillon And The Voice Of Odin, his work for FRONTIER PUBLISHING and his writing in general.

Dates: September 13th - 19th

Days: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Times:10:30, 2:30 & 6:30 AM and PM, EST

To hear the broadcast, go to Leisure Talk Radio Network at http://www.leisuretalk.net and click on the link at the left side of the page. If your computer does not have RealAudio, WinAmp or Windows Media, free download links are provided. Enjoy the show and as always, thank you for your support and blessings.

Derrick

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

Greetings, Frontiersmen and women. We've got another fantastic
update for you this week, so let's take a look at a few of these
dynamite stories and see if we can't get you to read one or two or…
ALL of them. That'd be nice, wouldn't it? I think so.

From the SPECULATIVE BRANCH: (these are the type of stories that
make you very…. what's the word? Uh… Oh, I think I got it!
Speculative! Yeah, that's it. These are the stories that make you
say "Hmmmmm… what in the holy heckfire did I just read there? I
don't think I'm going to get this unless I really keep my eyes
open. This hits me on a deep, personal, perhaps even spiritual
level. This stuff is awesome!" And keeping that in mind…)

Dreamer's Syndrome, Chapter Six
"New World Consequence," written by Mark Bousquet

Wouldn't you be speculating like hell if some angels or aliens or
super-powered monkeys (Hey, that's what they look like to me) came
down and granted every person on the planet their fondest childhood
wish? I know I would be. That's what happened in the first chapter
of Dreamer's Syndrome. And maybe it is some sort of dream, but if
it is, nobody's woken up from it yet. And if they did, man, how
boring would that be? I'd much rather be a pirate or a
swashbuckling ranger than the editor of Frontier Publishing.
Wouldn't you? Wait, before you answer that, imagine you're a
pirate, okay? You're on a ship, minding your own business, perhaps…
clipping your toenails? I don't really know what pirates do… I've
always been more of a ninja. Anyway, so you're doing your thing,
and suddenly your cabin disintegrates because a HUGE cannon ball
blew through the side of your ship! Arrrrr, matey, now you're
screwed but good. Maybe these wishes aren't as kick ass as you
thought. And that is the beauty of speculation, my friends. Is it
not the glory?

It is…

It is.

Okay, so that's all we've got from the Speculative Branch, but that
doesn't mean that's all we've got for you. We've also got some
stories from the ACTION BRANCH: (this is the branch that makes your
heart pump a little faster and your adrenaline flow a little harder
through your nervous system. Sure, you get all tuckered out after
you're done, but isn't that the beauty of it? You're reading this
mile-a-second story, tension and drama dripping from every page and
sending you through a whirlwind of emotional impact… (!) And then
you drink a nice warm glass of milk and go to bed. Try it,
everybody. I'm telling you, it works wonders. Here's a story sure
to put your through an action-packed frenzy of excitement and
intrigue. And when it comes to stories like these, better to let
them "speak" for themselves...

Onyx Revolver, Chapter Two
"The Greek Chorus Hints at some Back-Story," written by Thomas Deja

***

She had always lived around guns, being the baby daughter of a
police officer (now police detective). She had received lots of
lectures on how to treat firearms safely as a child. But now, with a
crazed young man convinced 'his' Elsa-D had consented to marry him,
she had to go beyond safety. She had to get used to the heaviness of
the gun in her hand, of the loud report of the firing, of the
choking stench of cordite in her nostrils.

She put up with it all so she could feel safe. She never intended to
use it except in emergencies.

She still told herself that after The Tragic Thing, when she watched
the corpse of Henry McGrail stiffen in a pool of its own blood.

In fact, it wasn't until recently that Elsa accepted what she was.
Namely, a killer.

But the story is getting ahead of itself, isn't it? You want to know
about the Tragic Thing.


***

Dillon and The Legend Of The Golden Bell, Chapter Twelve
Written by Derrick Ferguson

***

"Dillon? You okay?"

The memories were gone and Dillon's eyesight cleared. Upon seeing
Dillinger's face, the only thing that now filled his consciousness
was the desire to take the life of the man who had brought back
those horrid, hated memories. Dillon's hand went for his gun with
that astounding speed he had developed over so many years of
training and experience.

Dillinger's left hand went to his staff and he gripped it, picked it
up. His right hand went to one end of the staff, gave it a twist and
pulled it apart.

Dillon drew his gun, cocked it and brought it around to aim at
Dillinger's forehead.

The section of staff in Dillinger's hand was actually the handle of
a concealed sword. It hissed with an almost sensual sound as it came
free of the other end of the staff, whistling through the air as a
companion to the cocking of Dillon's automatic.

The room was silent.

***

See? Action speaks for itself!

Ah, do you feel that? A bit of a tingle running down your spine.
Perhaps a trickle of perspiration detached itself from your sweat-
ridden tangle of hair, or maybe a grisly zombie is running a
decrepit fingernail down your bunchy flesh (anybody else have this
problem? I think I'm sitting at the computer too much). And do you
know what that chill is, my friends? It is the chill of the
SUSPENSE BRANCH:

By Sepulchral Winds, Chapter Two
Written by Joel Jenkins

The survivors of the xombie attack continue to hole-up in thier
makeshift bunker. Some of them want to fly out with a blimp, some
of them want to lay down and die, but all of them want to kick some
zombie ass. Joel Jenkin's amazing zombie thriller continues...

We've also got some stuff happening over at the GENERAL BRANCH:
(this branch is very much like the General Store - no, not a store
that caters only to generals, although that'd actually be kinda
sweet. Wouldn't you like to know what kinda stuff they sell in that
kind of store? I would. Probably like, pins with stars lined up
side-by-side… Wow. That'd be a great purchase - in that it has a
little bit of everything. This branch could be a little
speculative, a little action-y(?), a little suspense-y(?), and maybe
even a little… erotic? Hey, why not? This is my update
announcement after all. I can be perverted if I wanna. Anyway, the
General Branch has a little of all those qualities, but not enough
of one or the other that it fits into a neat little genre
like "action" or "suspense" or anything like that. It's not a shoe
store, or a video store, or even a smoke shop… it's General! And
without further ado…

A Long Walk, Slowly… Chapter Seven (epilogue)
Written by Mike Franzoni

The final addition to "A Long Walk, Slowly" is a perfect example of
why it was placed in the General Branch in the first place. You
see, the majority of the chapter is an issue written by Geoff for
anyone who might happen upon it at some time in the future. Writing
a letter is an action, but it certainly isn't action-packed.
Writing a letter can be suspenseful, but it doesn't have to be. You
can speculate in a letter, but it isn't some sort of letter-writing
requirement. So what's the point I'm trying to make? Write a
letter once in a while. Your family and friends will appreciate
it. I know Geoff's do now that he's written his…

So that's it, everybody. Once again I'm Mike Exner III, and I am
one of the Editors at:

FRONTIER PUBLISHING!!!

www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Stone-cold killers. That's the theme at Frontier Publishing this week. We've got more death-dealers and more in-depth exploration of the twisted lives they lead than any other online home of serial novels. You can bet your Glock (the one with two dozen notches on the handle) on that.

Don't believe me? Check it out:





Diamondback: And the Devil Will Drag You Under, Chapter 1
by Derrick Ferguson

Derrick's long-awaited followup to the first Diamondback story kicks off with a bang, as an army of assassins descend on Denbrook, all gunning for up-and-coming crimelord Diamondback Vogel. But Diamondback's got other things to worry about, dodging his uncertain past while he's dodging bullets. If you're in this book, and you're not a killer, you're in the minority... Action Branch.



Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 13
by Joel Jenkins

A band of murderous Exiles have invaded the home of the Martian Muvari, and their adopted Earthman, Garvey Dire, finds himself running for his life while fighting off the lingering effects of poison and trying to protect his new family. If alien warrior women hacking each other to pieces in inventive ways is your bag, you will LOVE this chapter. Speculative Branch.



Missing Persons: The September Station, Chapter 9
by Michael Franzoni

Matthew Corrigan's vision quest through the last run of the Autumn Express reaches a turning point. For a while now, Matthew and his team have been trying to figure out how the passengers on that ill-fated train died, and why their killer did it. This chapter's last paragraph revelation will reveal this stone-cold killer... but how in the world is Franzoni going to tie all these loose ends up in 3 more chapters? Find out starting here... Suspense Branch.



Onyx Revolver, Chapter 3
by Thomas Deja

This chapter begins with a very angry former pop princess sticking a magic gun in a US Army general's face... and things don't get a whole lot better for either of these characters from there. Despite her best intentions, Elsa Dawn is a killer through and through, and it's going to take the arrival of some pretty extraordinary help to keep that aforementioned general breathing... Action Branch.



SexKitten, Chapter 21
by Megan Curtis

While her friends gather their forces and rush to her aid, Paris has a tête-à-tête with the most obnoxious of her multiple personalities. When her nemesis and doppelganger Helen shows up with fresh blood on her hands, will Paris be able to pull all the voices in her head together in time to defend herself? Frontier's current longest-running series continues to barrel towards its action packed conclusion. Action Branch.


The bullets and blood come down like rain at Frontier Publishing this week. Check it out at the usual place:
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Then mosey on by the message board and let our writers know what you thought.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Webmaster
Frontier Publishing

[DLFerguson]

Check out the new releases at Frontier
Publishing!

http://www.frontierpublishing.net


BY SEPULCHRAL WINDS - CHAPTER 3
by Joel Jenkins
Joel Jenkins' (Club Red, Exiles of the Dire Planet) three-part
zombie/sf western concludes with an Alamo-style fortress-storming
conducted by the living dead and much, much shootin. What else is
there to say?

DILLON AND THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN BELL - CHAPTER 13
by Derrick Ferguson
Dillon, about to make his move, is confronted by his past -- first in
the form of the mysterious Brighteyes, who knows much more about
Dillon's origins than anyone still among the living should, and then
with the arrival of the bombastic Awesome Times, a rival adventurer
our hero knows way too well to ever trust.

DREAMER'S SYNDROME - CHAPTER 7
by Mark Bousquet
Would-be ranger Frederic Kornell is pursued by a vengeful hockey
player, lit-prof-turned-neophyte-pirate Austin is pursued by seafaring
psychos, an angel is pursued by persistent self-doubt, and a parrot
talks smack.

ONYX REVOLVER - CHAPTER 4
by Thomas Deja
In which we learn that Elsa's father, albeit dead, just won't stop
nagging his little girl -- at least not until she gets revenge on his
killers.


Mike McGee (via Russ Anderson)
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://wwww.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net



Today’s update for Frontier throws a spotlight on a series that’s been chugging along faithfully for over a year now – Joel Jenkins’ Martian epic, Exiles of the Dire Planet. If high adventure and deeply realized alien cultures with lots of beautiful warrior women are your bag, you owe it to yourself to check this sucker out. Joel is one of Frontier’s most prolific writers, but the Dire Planet series is where it all started. Jump on the bandwagon before he gets another year into the story.



This week:



Diamondback: And the Devil Will Drag You Under, Chapter 2

By Derrick Ferguson

The network of gunmen and blood draws tighter around Diamondback Vogel as he continues working his way up Denbrook’s criminal food chain. Soon, he’ll be master of Denbrook’s underworld, but there’s a whole lot of deadly people – including a familiar face from volume one – and a whole lot of bullets in his way. A Denbrook title.

Action Branch



Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 14

By Joel Jenkins

The Exiles have American astronaut Garvey Dire and his martian wife Ntashia right where they want them. And even if the Dires manage to escape this deathtrap, they’ll have to fight their way across Mars to reach the hidden citadel of the ancients in order to win back their home, fighting treachery from within the entire way.

Speculative Branch



Missing Persons: The September Station, Chapter 10

By Michael Franzoni

The mystery of the Autumn Express splits wide open following chapter 9’s 12th hour revelation. Now, Matthew and company have to scramble to make things right with the ghosts of the September Station and fight the media conflagration that is heading Matthew’s way. A Denbrook title.

Speculative Branch



Onyx Revolver, Chapter 5

By Thomas Deja

More of the blanks in Elsa Dawn’s story are filled in as we learn how she went from teen pop idol to gun-toting killer in the town that America forgot.

Action Branch



SexKitten, Chapter 23

By Megan Curtis

Two cat women – Paris and Helen – meet in battle on the empty streets of Denbrook, and you may be surprised at which one actually walks away from the fight. The fur continues to fly as SexKitten continues to barrel on toward its conclusion. A Denbrook title.

Action Branch

Finally, be sure to hit the Suspense Branch and check out Tamas Jakab’s incredible new cover for Mike McGee’s Luna Court, as well as his cover for the upcoming Luna Court, vol. 2. Go. Now.


http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

Greetings Frontiersmen and Frontierswomen! I'm Mike Exner, one of
the editors at Frontier Publishing, and I'm NOT a teenager! Why is
that pertinent to an update announcement like the one I'm posting
here right now? It's… not… really… but what does concern the teen
life of which I speak is the debut of our newest title at Frontier
Publishing!

Curtain Call, Chapter 1
Written by Russ Anderson

Mr. Anderson is the teacher, and you are the pupil, faithful
reader. Join our webmaster turned schoolmaster as he introduces you
to Dawson's Creek… horror style! Teenagers rule at Westridge High,
and nothing is cooler than the drama dept. All those kids grow up
to be famous actors, y'know. It's sweet! Terry is one such future
star, but when Terry finds a mysterious painting in the rafters of
the school auditorium, the future of Westridge High takes a turn for
the worse.

Dreamer's Syndrome, Chapter
Written By Mark Bousquet

Mark Bousquet also deals with teenagers, probably, just not in his
book. I'm sure they egg his house, or soap his car windows... maybe
even mow his lawn. But when Mark gets tired of their attitude, and
their MTV philosophy... he writes Dreamer's Syndrome. Remember last
chapter when Young Prince (no, not the artist formerly known as....
this guy is a REAL Prince) was about to be run down by a maniac in a
Hummer? DOn't you want to find out what happened? Read, you
fools! Read!

Onyx Revolver, Chapter 6
Written by Thomas Deja

I just read Onyx Revolver. Remember how on the cover the chick is
holding a gun and she's looking mucho-badass? Well, she's going to
need all of her bullets after this chapter. And my word is bond.

Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell, Chapter 14
Written by Derrick Ferguson

Perhaps Onyx Revolver teased you. You know what I'm talking about,
people. Here you are, hanging out with Elsa and expecting her to do
some serious butt-kicking, and then all of a sudden the chapter ends
before she can really get the party started. Sure, it gets your
blood boiling. The anticipation for the next Onyx Revolver is
strumming your nerves like a Jimi Hendrix wailing on his guitar...
what do you DO!?!?! You read Dillon, baby. Because THIS chapter
AIN'T short on the action. My word is STILL bond, yo.

Mike Exner III
Frontier Publishing

www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

For immediate dissemination...



http://www.frontierpublishing.net



Come December, it will be one year since Frontier Publishing, the home of online serial adventure, entered the business of print publishing with the debut of Derrick Ferguson's DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN. Now, as we continue to prepare our next book for print, we'd like to commemorate this anniversary with a little contest.



Announcing the Stocking Full of Dillon holiday giveaway!



Frontier started out as, and continues to be, a home for online serial fiction. Even though we're branching out into print, there's still a lot to see and read at our site -- from Joel Jenkins' Burroughs-ian sci-fi serial, EXILES OF THE DIRE PLANET, to Steve Seinberg's creepy buddy movie-in-prose, MR. GRIM, and right on to Mark Bousquet's fantastic what-if tale, DREAMER'S SYNDROME.



In December, just in time for the holidays, we'll be giving away three copies of DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN, signed by the author (and personalized if you wish). All you have to do is read one of Frontier's titles -- any one -- and post your review to the site's message board:



http://www.electronictales.com/mb_Topics.asp?ForumID=2&SectionID=0



(If you don't feel like typing that long link, you can also reach the board from our homepage at www.frontierpublishing.net.)



On December 11, the reviews that the editors deem to be the best thought-out of the lot will be selected, and those reviewers will receive a signed copy of DILLON free. Gratis. No cost to you.



(This does not mean we're only interested in positive reviews. The editors and the writers of Frontier Publishing want to hear what you think, so be as honest as possible.)



Okay... a couple of quick rules and disclaimers:



1) Reviews must be posted between now and December 10 in order to ensure holiday shipping within the US. Reviews posted after 12/10 will not be considered for this contest.



2) The winning reviews will be selected by Derrick Ferguson and Frontier's editors (Mikes McGee and Exner, and Russ Anderson). There are no firm criteria for what makes a "good" review. Just be as honest and as clear as you can be.



3) Reviewers should include an email address with their reviews so they can be contacted in the event that they win.



4) Writers and designers currently working for Frontier Publishing are eligible for this contest... but they, of course, shouldn't review their own books.



5) The only cost to the contest winners is the time it took them to read the stories and write the review. Both the book and shipping are free.



6) Frontier Publishing is not liable for any harm that may befall you while writing a review for the Stocking Full of Dillon holiday giveaway, including but not limited to, your friends and family ostracizing you, loss of sleep, carpal tunnel syndrome, egg nog deficiency, and anything involving a ferret (you sick freak). So keep your lawyers to yourself.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

Just in case you forgot...

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Sure it's a day late, but the first Frontier Publishing update of the New Year is just as mighty as ever. Take a gander at our feature title if you don't believe me:

Missing Persons: The September Station, Chapter 12
by Michael Franzoni
The second Matthew Corrigan adventure comes to its powerful conclusion, as Matthew confronts the traitorous force behind the tragedy of the Winterline Express, and deals with the fact that his superhuman abilities may become public knowledge even if he does survive.
Suspense Branch.

And that's not all! In addition to our special-event, series-closing, big-money feature title, we've also got our usual brand of awesomeness:

Diamondback vol. 2, Chapter 4
by Derrick Ferguson
The net continues to draw tighter around Diamondback Vogel as the Hunchback enlists some familiar help and the Founding Fathers request an audience with Denbrook's baddest gunslinger. Meanwhile, a massacre of near-biblical proportions brings a little piece of hell to the Brotherhood of the 41st Precinct.
Action Branch.

Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 16
by Joel Jenkins
Running out of options as quickly as they run for their lives, Garvey and Ntashia Dire decide to free the mad inventor Sar Savaht from the clutches of the Exiles. In true Dire fashion, tho, things don't go exactly as planned...
Speculative Branch.

Hidden Agendas, Chapter 2
by Des Davies
Frontier's newest title continues, as Gideon Chance gets some more facts about the disappearance of Porter Hingman's children, and makes ready to descend on Bedford.
Action Branch.

Onyx Revolver, Chapter 9
by Tom Deja
Former pop princess turned revenge-driven killer, Elsa Dawn, meets Greg the Bug in the darkness-enshrouded streets of Chimera Falls. Greg is basically a man-sized roach, but he may just be Elsa's best bet for figuring out what the hell is going on in the City that Everyone Forgot.
Action Branch.

That url again:

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Frontier Publishing... we're just a resolution away.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing

[mrhelm]

Just curious, and since I don't really want to go to your site until I know, what exactly is Frontier Publishing?

[kossori]

Nice layout. Like the covers.
One thing, though. The first link I clicked on when I go there was "Action" and it was blank.
The rest worked fine.
Looks good.

[the_coldest_sun]

Just curious, and since I don't really want to go to your site until I know, what exactly is Frontier Publishing?
I love this site.

Frontier Publishing is a website for various authors to "publish" online their original works. Most authors post in MONTHLY chapters. There's a very diverse selection of genre's available to read--gots something for everyone. The stories on their site have to be submitted and approved before they are published and most of the "crap" is filtered out, showing quality is a top priority for FP.

I suggest you check it out. I've enjoyed it plenty!



Still working on my submission....

[DLFerguson]

Nice layout. Like the covers.
One thing, though. The first link I clicked on when I go there was "Action" and it was blank.
The rest worked fine.
Looks good.

Thanks for the head's up. I'll pass along the word to The Hardest Working Webmaster In Show Business and make sure he's aware of it.

[DLFerguson]

Just curious, and since I don't really want to go to your site until I know, what exactly is Frontier Publishing?

I think Coldest Sun summed it up better than I could have. We should ask him to come aboard as our publicist :D

Seriously, tho, FRONTIER is a collection of writers who have pooled our talent together to create an online magazine of serialized genre fiction. We've got action/adventure, horror, science fiction and a whole helping of themed anthologies.

Last year we produced our first novel, "Dillon And The Voice Of Odin" written by yours truly and this year we'll be presenting "Chemical Burn" a hardboiled to the max crime novel by Mike McGee.

And we have plans to move into other arenas as a soon to be posted announcement will attest...

[DLFerguson]

I love this site.

Frontier Publishing is a website for various authors to "publish" online their original works. Most authors post in MONTHLY chapters. There's a very diverse selection of genre's available to read--gots something for everyone. The stories on their site have to be submitted and approved before they are published and most of the "crap" is filtered out, showing quality is a top priority for FP.

I suggest you check it out. I've enjoyed it plenty!



Still working on my submission....

Thank you for your recommendation of the site and your support. Neither one is taken lightly and both are much appreciated. Hope to see your submission soon and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

[DLFerguson]

You've heard the rumors, hints and teases for long enough and I've gotten the go ahead from TPTB to make what I hope will be the first of many annoucements about this project.

FRONTIER PUBLISHING PRESENTS is going to be a one-shot comic anthology containing the following stories:

For the first time anywhere DILLON will star in a 10 page illustrated story written by none other than Russ Anderson based on an original story by yours truly.

THE SKIFF is a 10 page story related to our upcoming release of Mike McGee's novel CHEMICAL BURN.

And there will be an exclusive 10 page excerpt from Mike Exner III's upcoming graphic novel FOUR HORSEMEN.

There's going to be plenty more information to come, especially on how you can get hold of a copy of FRONTIER PUBLISHING PRESENTS but in the meantime here's where you can find some character designs done by the tremendously talented Alex Kosakowski

http://www.moonsloth.com/images/chars.jpg

These are of characters that will be appearing in the DILLON story. That's Dillon himself at the bottom right and going from top left to right we have Princess Sathyra, Allie and her son Shon. Who are they and what are they going to be doing in the story?

I'll save that for another time. I gotta do something to keep you coming back, don't I?

[DLFerguson]

FRONTIER PUBLISHING is going to be presenting all-new interviews with the talented writers, artists and editors that make up our staff as some of those interviews are two or even three years out of date so it's a perfect chance for you to learn more about us and we hope you'll take the opportunity to do so.

But we'd like to take it a step further and learn more about you. Yes, you....no, not you, YOU...no, no, not YOU!...YOU! Well, you get the point, we hope. We want to know more about our readers. Where you live. What you do for a living. What you like to read. What you like to watch on TV. Why you like FRONTIER. Stuff like that.

Why do we wanna know this stuff? No nefarious purposes intended, we assure you. Call it a way of thanking our readers for their support by throwing a spotlight on them for a bit because if it wasn't for our readers we'd be somewhere flipping McBurgers or sitting at a toll booth in New Jersey inhaling noxious fumes instead of creating stories we love to share with all of you.

So we're asking you, the readers to share. We want to have a regular Readers Interviews section at FRONTIER and to do that, we need readers to interview. That's where you come in.

Contact Derrick Ferguson at derrickferguson1@yahoo.com and let him know you're a FRONTIER reader and would like to be interviewed. Just that simple. It'll be quick and painless. You'll have some fun and we'll get to know you better. Good deal all around, wouldn't you say?

[DLFerguson]

For your holiday reading pleasure --

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

CURTAIN CALL - CHAPTER 4
by Russ Anderson
As Terry embarks on dating bliss with Autumn, Steve finds his own
blossoming relationship with the mysterious girl from the painting
taking a strange and frightening turn.

DILLON AND THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN BELL - CHAPTER 15
by Derrick Ferguson
Dillon and company's battleplans to seize the Norianas Bridge go
catastrophically awry; but wars fought with guns and mortars may soon
prove to be the least of Dillon's worries, as a vengeful enemy seeks
help from unexpected quarters.

DREAMER'S SYNDROME - CHAPTER 10
by Mark Bousquet
Everything goes to hell in a handbasket as Austin gets some bad intel
on Kelly, Mary Mathers makes her move, the pirates gear up for some
seriously ambitious sacking, and an angel is accused of murder -- and
that's leaving out this chapter's biggest plot twist....

HIDDEN AGENDAS - CHAPTER 3
by Des Davies
Chance is on his way to meet his newest client -- but who's following
Chance? They definitely don't look friendly....

ONYX REVOLVER - CHAPTER 10
by Thomas Deja
The deadly Maholos come looking for Elsa, desperate distress calls are
sent, saloon girls are slashered, and a certain fella in a Mexican
wrestler's mask questions the imperatives of the Code of Luchadore.

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Greetings Frontiersmen!

I'm a little bit upset today, so I hope you'll bear with me for the
remainder of this update announcement. I may have a few emotional
outbursts.

What's the reason? Well, it's actually pretty simple, and if you'd
actually been reading over at Frontier Publishing you'd know what I
was talking about before I even had to say it! But you couldn't do
that, and so I had to stew in my own sorrowful emotions all by
myself. I had nobody to share with, and it really tore me up inside.

It's not your fault of course. It's our fault for depriving you all
of Frontier for so long. But all that has changed, because Frontier
Publishing is back on the map and bigger, badder, and better than
ever. But still…

This update…

This update marks the final chapter of SexKitten!

Oh God! All the T&A and gut-busting action and powerful emotions and
inside jokes and… sex… and kittens! It's all gone now. Gone forever.

I said I wouldn't cry, but… but you just don't know how much it hurts
when you lose something you've taken for granted for so long. You
see, I feel like SexKitten is a part of ME. Of who I AM. I cleaned
myself with my tongue for like a week after if first debuted. I kid
you not.

…

Okay, two weeks. Whatever. What are you, the tongue police? Get
over it.

Anyway, Meg is my girl, and we're going to miss SexKitten a great
deal. Especially me. Because I'm a big crybaby pouter when it comes
to stuff like this.

SexKitten, Chapter 24 (the FINAL chapter)
Written by Megan Curtis

Everything happens in this issue. Paris throws down with her clone,
confronts the guy responsible for most of the grief in her life and
has a tearful episode with her closest friends. Will the Kat come
back? Only time will tell. It won't be the very next day though.
So don't hold your breath or anything. Seriously. You'll die if you
do.

Hidden Agendas, Chapter 4
Written by Des Davies

A quiet drive turns to chaos and confusion for Chance as he makes his
way towards Bedford and his confrontation with Porter Hingman.
Luckily for Chance, chaos and confusion are his idea of a grand `ol
time.

…

Just like the grand `ol times I used to have reading chapters of
SexKitten every month. I won't be having good times like that
anymore. Nope. It pains me to think of all the reading I'll be
doing that won't be SexKitten now. I mean, there are some good
stories at Frontier, sure. But c'mon, people! SexKitten!

Onyx Revolver, Chapter 11

The title with almost as cool a name as SexKitten updates with Elsa
in the midst of her bloody crusade. The Weatherly gun she wields is
nearly as black as Elsa's fractured heart, but the dark reflection it
casts over her enemies will follow them to their graves.

…

SexKitten went to its grave too. It wasn't shot up by Elsa with the
Weatherly gun or anything, but it feels almost like I took a bullet
to the heart. I am THAT upset, people. I'm warning you… Read
SexKitten. Appreciate it as I do or maybe I'll go on a bloody
killing spree too!

Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 17

Garvey Dire and his wife are the exiles in a world of brutality and
danger they cannot escape. With the aid of a scientist with an
uncanny knowledge of the ancient technology that infuses their world,
Garvey and N'tashia continue their ceaseless journey toward
liberating their home.

…

Liberation. I feel liberated now that I'm finished with this
update. Perhaps now I can put my grief behind me over the loss of
SexKitten. You see, writing out your feelings often helps you deal
with the pain, constant readers. And that's what I'm doing here.
I'm just trying to cope. You should all try it. Read SexKitten, and
then take a few moments to drop Megan a line and let her know what
you thought about it. It's the least you can do for the passing of a
true friend. I remain…

Mike Exner III
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

The first thing I read by Megan Curtis was a series she was writing for Marvel: Revolution maybe four years ago. For those of you who don't know, Marvel :Revolution is a fan fiction site featuring stories about Marvel superheroes characters and back then most of the stories were either yawn inducing or forgettable ten minutes after I read them.

But Megan was writing a series called S.H.I.E.L.D. that caught my attention for a couple of reasons: first of all, the particular fan fiction DC/Marvel based community I hang out in is 99% male and I was intrigued as to what a female writer was doing and what she was bringing to the table and I like S.H.I.E.L.D. being a longtime Nick Fury fan and my curiosity drew me to Megan's story.

What I discovered was less a fan fiction story and more of a straight-up and down spy/espionage/thriller that dealt with original characters who we hadn't seen before who worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. These weren't the glamorous superspies who saved the world. These were the grunts who were in the trenches doing the dirty work while wrestling with personal and professional issues. And it was a series that became one of my favorites. Megan is a chick, sure. And she writes action/adventure but she doesn't write it like a chick and she doesn't write it like a chick pretending to be a guy. She writes in a unique voice all her own where the action/adventure qualities are reliably supported by the remarkable detail to charactization and the really suprising plot twists she seems to effortlessly pull out of her endless bag of tricks without breaking a sweat.

Megan never finished S.H.I.E.L.D. (but I forgive her for that) and she went on to write WITCHES at another fan fiction site which again demonstrated her remarkable grasp of characterization as well as her proficiency in telling a damn good story. And it was another series that I followed with great interest and enjoyment.

All of which leades me to SEXKITTEN. It's a series that took Megan two years to write and now that she's finished it, I couldn't feel prouder of her. It's a story full of everything that I read in Megan's fan fiction work but this is all hers and she treats it with the same love and respect and storytelling prowess she brought to her fan fiction work.

If you haven't read SEXKITTEN yet, hike on over to http://www.frontierpublishing.net/ and give it a read. I hardly think you'll be disappointed. It's got action. Suspense. Remarkable characterizations. Plot twists aplenty to keep you intrigued and interested. It's a story that does what a good story should do: it keeps you wondering: "What's going to happen next?" And the best thing is that you've now got the complete story so you don't have to be eagerly waiting for the next chapter. It's all there just waiting for you to discover it for yourself and hopefully be as entertained as I was and continue to be by the work of Megan Curtis.

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net


After a hiccup in service (thank you, former webhost Hostyard), Frontier is back and on something resembling its normal schedule again. Not given to resting on our laurels, the editorial staff used last month’s respite to double the lashings and assorted abuses we normally administer to our writers, so we’ve got a full plate of goodies for you this month. Check it out:

Curtain Call, Chapter 5
by Russ Anderson
Steve has a very bad day, Autumn gets a lesson in the jealousy of the undead, and Terry learns more about his mysterious painting girl than he ever wanted to as Frontier’s ghostly love story reaches its first major turning point. Russ required only fourteen lashes to write this one.
Suspense Branch

Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell, Chapter 16
by Derrick Ferguson
In the wake of the campaign against Trout’s forces, Dillon finally has it out with Awesome Times in a bar brawl that only Derrick Ferguson could write... after he’s been boiled in animal fat for an hour or so.
Action Branch

Dreamer’s Syndrome, Chapter 11
by Mark Bousquet
Austin mourns his girlfriend, Kelly, unaware that Kelly is alive and drawing uncomfortably close to the mystery surrounding the murdered angels. Meanwhile, Jim Catlin makes a Faustian deal and Father Otten comes one step closer to unraveling the mystery of the Dreamer’s Syndrome. The nastier parts of this chapter are a direct result of the time Mark spent in the Frontier iron maiden.
Speculative Branch

Hidden Agendas: A Last Chance, Inc Story, Chapter 5
by Des Davies
Gideon Chance finally meets his employer, Porter Hingman, and begins his investigation into the disappearance of the Hingman children in earnest. Des took the time we kept him on the rack like a man, claiming that it limbered up his fingers for typing.
Action Branch

Onyx Revolver, Chapter 12
by Thomas Deja
Pop princess-turned-angel of vengeance Elsa Dawn gets a crash course in the broader aspects of Chimera Falls. From a giant bug... a giant bug named Greg. Tom was obviously still a little woozy from all the time he spent suspended from meathooks when he banged this one out.
Action Branch


Check ‘em all out... and then hit our forums tomorrow for a special announcement about the next big thing at Frontier.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Greetings Frontiersmen,

Big things are happening for Frontier Publishing this month. April
is a month for fools, but we here at Frontier Publishing are no
fools. No! We dash the plague of ignorance against the rock of
literary delight. That's right! Today's update features the debut
of yet another addition to the Frontier Publishing family of online
fiction, a gaggle of new releases to some of our regular Frontier
classics, and more information about the burgeoning "Frontier
Publishing Presents" comic book project.

Did you all know that there are no tropes in San Tropez? I didn't,
and I freely admit to such, and if you're like me… well, I bet you
didn't know either. However, there is a book, debuting here, now…
today that will change all that. Don't believe me? Scroll down and
check it out then.

"There are No Tropes in San Tropez"
Chapter One, by Danny Souder

So there's this woman named Lucy, and she can't have babies. There's
this guy named Snoz pining over lost love. There's a man named Elio
slowly passing away before his time. And there's a woman fortune-
teller named Lady Rene who will draw them all together. What do they
all have in common? The Big Easy is their home. And New Orleans is
a city where anything can happen.

"Dreamer's Syndrome"
Chapter Twelve, by Mark Bousquet

Speaking of places where anything can happen, in the world of
the "Dreamer's Syndrome" every childhood dream has come true.
Pirates and knights on horseback mingle with superheroes and
astronauts. But like any dream, things can change in the blink of an
eye. Heroes become villains, angels become monsters, and sometimes
you can't tell the difference between the two.

"Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell"
Chapter Seventeen, by Derrick Ferguson

Dillon and Awesome Times make up like old pals should, and right on
time. Dillon, Eli, Dagna and Brandon have reached the Blagdasen
Citadel, and though the four of them have faced numerous trials and
enemies on their journey to the home of the Golden Bell, you can rest
assured that they haven't seen anything yet.

"Curtain Call"
Chapter Six, by Russ Anderson

Opportunity knocking is an early wake-up call for Steve, who seizes
it just as he did a certain painting. Steve's curiosity drives him
to discover all he can about the mysterious girl with the missing
eyes, but any answers he finds only fuel his obsession all the more.
And obsession cannot be shared, a saying that does not bode well for
Terry.

"Onyx Revolver"
Chapter Fourteen, by Tom Deja

This Deja, he gets down, mixing action and violence now. With a
touch of intrigue and a bit of mystery, his heroine uses the gun of
Weatherly. Okay, so the rap wasn't so good, but the chapter is. Box
is a guy whose name is aptly derived. He spends his time locked
away, boxed in. Even with the ability to reach out and touch those
around him, his life is only as good as those he interacts with. And
in a town like Chimera Falls, being in a box ain't half bad.

"Hidden Agendas"
Chapter Seven, by Des Davies

Chance and Sara investigate the grisly scene in their own unique way,
but more questions than answers arrive to blockade them. Chance
isn't the kind of guy to give up, but can even he puzzle out the
mystery?

Also, if you head on over to the Interviews section of the Frontier
Publishing website, you can catch a spirited discussion between our
resident interviewer, Derrick Ferguson, and his latest interviewee,
the always entertaining Joel Jenkins. You know he writes riveting
fiction in the form of "Exiles of the Dire Planet" and "By Sepulchral
Winds", but what else makes this guy tick? Find out! And finally…

Frontier Publishing is also proud to announce that we will be making
an appearance at the Pittsburgh Comic Con
(http://www.pittsburghcomicon.com/) taking place between the dates of
April 22-24. Frontier will have a table displaying our first
comic "Frontier Publishing Presents", as well as information
regarding the rest of our publishing ventures. If you're in the
area, stop on by and pay us a visit. `Til next time…

-Mike Exner III
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

Frontier Publishing Presents #1, our first foray into the field of print comics, is now available exclusively through the Frontier Store.

For a measly $2.50 (chump change!), you get the following:

- "Dillon and the Escape from Tosegio", 10 page comic story by Derrick Ferguson and Russ Anderson, with art by Alex Kosakowski
- "The Skiff", 10 page comic story by Mike McGee, with art by Tom Jakab.
- "If Death Was a Pimp", prose story by Mike Exner III, with spot illo by Shelton Bryant.
- "Idyll", prose story by Trevor Carrington, with spot illo by Shelton Bryant.

Plus, web orders will receive a free copy of the "Dillon and the Escape From Tosegio" chapbook, including a behind-the-scenes peek at Derrick Ferguson's original prose story (upon which the comic story was based) and Alex Kosakowski's preliminary sketchwork.

Get 'em while they're hot.

http://www.frontierpublishing.net/store.html

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

P.S. If you live in the Pittsburgh area, Frontier will officially be debuting FPP #1 at the Pittsburgh Comic Con, April 22-24. Come by the table, and get an extra 50 cents off!

[DLFerguson]

We have ignition...

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Sure, we've got a lot of exciting stuff going on at Frontier Publishing right now. We've got the debut of Frontier Publishing Presents #1, our first print comic book. We've got the upcoming print publication of Mike McGee's crime novel, "Chemical Burn". We've even got our own online store now, and we're gearing up for an appearance at the Pittsburgh Comic Convention on April 22-24.

Lots of new, exciting stuff... but Frontier hasn't forgotten where it came from. We know that the twice-monthly release of new, exciting chapters in the ongoing adventures of Elsa Dawn, Garvey Dire, Diamondback Vogel, Gideon Chance, and all the others, are the meat and potatoes of our existence, the wellspring from which we... um, sprang.

And so, here's our latest batch of Frontier goodness:

Diamondback: And the Devil Will Drag You Under, Chapter 6
by Derrick Ferguson
Arianna Ambler finally gets a pow-wow with Diamondback Vogel, and asks the question that's been on everybody's mind since the beginning of the last Diamondback adventure -- is the top gunslinger in Denbrook actually Diamondback Vogel, or is he really Arianna's superspy hubby, gone so deep undercover that he's convinced himself he's Diamondback. Meanwhile, Klaus the Hunchback gets some very, very -- did I say very? -- bad news from Denbrook's top information broker.
Action Branch.

Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 19
by Joel Jenkins
Garvey and Ntashia Dire return to the lost Martian city of Caladrex in order to score some high-power weaponry for their struggle against the Exiles. Unfortunately, their guide may or may not be entirely trustworthy, and Caladrex itself is far from unpopulated...
Speculative Branch

Fermata, Chapter 2
by Michael Franzoni
Following the brutal murder of a teenage boy, Detectives Lawson and Stanislaus begin to unravel the victim's unfortunate life.
Suspense Branch

Hidden Agendas, Chapter 8
by Des Davies
Gideon Chance pauses to compare notes with the rest of his team, and receives an unpleasant surprise when a new member joins.
Action Branch

Onyx Revolver, Chapter 15
by Tom Deja
Greg the Bug finally to come clean about the origins of Chimera Falls, as pop princess-turned-revenge-driven killer Elsa Dawn begins to realize just how far in over her head she is.
Action Branch

Check 'em all out at that link I mentioned earlier:

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

And while you're there, mosey on by the Frontier Store and take a look at all the goodies we have to offer:

http://www.frontierpublishing.net/store.html

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

Hit the Frontier message board to see some of my notes and some of Tom's pics from the con.

http://www.electronictales.com/mb_Messages.asp?ForumID=2&SectionID=0&TopicID=116

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

CURTAIN CALL - Chapter 7 - by Russ Anderson
Things go BADLY for Terry as a vengeful shade decides to wreak a
little havoc. Don't piss off dead girls.

DILLON AND THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN BELL - Chapter 18 - by Derrick Ferguson
Dillon and his team find a whole big bunch of Lovecraftian beasties
standing between themselves and the Golden Bell, but someone much more
frightening has his money on our heroes -- and designs on the Bell.

DREAMER'S SYNDROME - Chapter 13 - by Mark Bousquet
Everything comes to a head as Austin meets Aphrodite (!), something
that used to be a sociopath named Jim Catlin and is now a sociopathic
fifty-foot tall monster does battle with the angels, the newest cast
member starts looking more and more like Satan, and...well, other
stuff happens too.

HIDDEN AGENDAS - Chapter 9 - by Des Davies
Chance's not-so-little girl joins the investigation...so why isn't
Chance happy about it?

ONYX REVOLVER - Chapter 16 - by Thomas Deja
Luchadore El Vengedore shows the Filipino hitmen who've overrun
Chimera Falls what he's made of.

THERE ARE NO TROPES IN SAN TROPEZ - Chapter 2 - by Danny Souder
As Lucy deals with a typical morning in the life of one partially
paralyzed, able-bodied (but emotionally crippled) Snoz makes a
wince-making attempt at reconciliation with the girl of his dreams.

Back on 5/16 -- sorry about the wait. And if you have a hard time
getting to any of the chapters, bring up an older one and type the
appropriate chapter number into your browser -- the chapters *are*
there, but some of the links are not. Why? I dunno. Might just be me,
but if not...y'know. Yeah.


Mike McGee

[DLFerguson]

Mike Exner has initiated a Dillon draw-off as part of the regular round of drawing challenges over on the Digital Webbing message boards. Artists use FPP artist Alex Kosakowski's designs as a template and post their own interpretation of Dillon.

Check out the thread here:
http://www.digitalwebbing.com/forums/showthread.php?p=756643#post756643

And feel free to draw something yourself if you're feeling artistic!

[DLFerguson]

http://frontierpublishing.net

Frontiersmen,

I'd like jump up on a soapbox for a moment today and thank Russ
Anderson for getting the update together. Yes, it was a bit late,
but Russ went through some personal issues that would have rendered
most of us inactive for a far greater period of time. A lot of us at
Frontier Publishing take the updates for granted. Once the stories
are written and edited, we assume the hard part is through. But Russ
Anderson not only writes AND edits for the website, he has to make
sure all the technical aspects are put in order too. Bow before him,
for he is thy daddy. You the man, Russ. This one's for you.

EXILES OF THE DIRE PLANET, Chapter 20
Joel Jenkins

Exiles hits chapter 20 running full speed ahead. The last time we
saw Garvey and his lovely Martian wife N'tashia, they were deep
within the ancient tombs of Caladrex stocking up on ancient weaponry
in an effort to fuel a liberation of their homeland. The only
problem being a psychotic, computer-generated hologram named Sved who
will do anything to keep them and the High Priestess they're allied
with from stealing from its city, including flooding Caladrex itself
with thousands of gallons of water.

FERMATA, Chapter 3
Michael Franzoni

Lawson and Stanislaus continue their investigation, both into the
case laid out before them as well as their own partnership, a task
made exceedingly difficult by their very natures. The preliminary
forensic investigation is underway, and while Lawson is asked to
question the friends of the victim, Stanislaus pays a visit to Jenna
Callahan, with less than desirable results.

HIDDEN AGENDAS, Chapter 10
Des Davies

One good turn deserves another, so when Chance takes the brunt of a
gas grenade meant to disable he and his compatriots, it's up to Sara
and Jen to pull his fat out of the fire. But knowing Chance, he
won't be out of commission for very long.

ONYX REVOLVER, Chapter 17
Thomas Deja

The sinister secret of the magic and oddity of Chimera Falls is
revealed as Major Chadwick takes a trip through memory lane.
Meanwhile, Elsa learns a few secrets of her own from the mouth of
Greg the Bug Boy. But in every story, there's always an
intermission. Only problem is, in Chimera Falls the intermission is
more likely to be beatings and bullets than snacks and drinks. Enjoy
the show.

Mike Exner III
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Five new chapters of genre goodness are available at Frontier Publishing this week. Check out these excerpts to get a taste of what you're missing if you don't drop by.


Curtain Call, Chapter 8
by Russ Anderson

Spooky shit, huh? the voice said – his voice, his own damned voice that he couldn't control – whispering now as the headlights slammed back down to street level and the hallway flowed back into existence around him. So tell me, Steve-baby, Steverino, Stevie – if she did do this to Terry, what happens when you try to dump her? What then? A swan dive from fourteen stories, maybe?

***

Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell, Chapter 18
by Derrick Ferguson

The dust settled and the four of them could see that an altar had risen from the vault. Something was suspended from the stone lid of the vault. Something that was supernaturally beautiful. A work of art. An object of myth and legend that had been rumored about for centuries. It was no longer a legend. It was a reality that they could see.

***

Dreamer's Syndrome, Chapter 14
by Mark Bousquet

"Austin, you want to go to Boston because you want to find your girlfriend," she said, leveling her gaze. If they were going to follow Austin's plan, she at least wanted this part about his girlfriend out in the open. "And the King? You want to humiliate him because he used to date your girlfriend."

A chuckling murmur ran through the crowd.

"Damn," Hector said. "And I thought I'd miss The O.C. in the New World."

***

Hidden Agendas: A Last Chance, Inc. Tale, Chapter 11
By Des Davies

"Triskel," Chance murmured as he removed his pen to study his handiwork. He slid his finger over the paper until it rested over the triangle at the center. He read the legend, "Theatre District", and nodded.
"You're a little too obvious at times, Jack," he murmured as he folded the map back up. Glancing at the clock, he started the car and moved quickly out into the flow of traffic. Just enough time to drive through the area before I need to meet the girls, he thought.

***

Onyx Revolver, Chapter 18
by Tom Deja

The fluids that surrounded him stirred. Box got a sense of Demetrius' mind moving closer to him. There was a jangling nature to his mood like—
And then Box felt himself move violently, his body for the first time hitting a wall of the prison he had been kept in for so long he forgot about time. Something snapped inside his arm and pain was re-introduced into his world, shooting up his shoulder and nestling deep into his brain. The fluids splashed around him as if they'd become the center of an instant typhoon. He hit another wall face-first and felt cartilage break.

***

There Are No Tropes in San Tropez, Chapter 3
by Danny Souder

There were a few truths in his quarter century Snoz had managed to verify. One, drugs were not bad, not as a blanket condemnation, and some were in fact quite good at opening oneself to the world. Two, when you are in a meeting and you lift your coffee mug, you can be sure someone else will reach and do the same, completely unconsciously. As far as Snoz could see this applied to all higher functions and ideas of man: it would be difficult to advance the cultural intelligence of humanity without the instinctual impulse of mimicry. Three, the hippies were right but they did not last because theirs was the first event of mass hedonism in the media age.


These stories and a whole lot (and I mean a whole lot) more are ready for your perusal at Frontier Publishing. Give us a look.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

It's a special Father's Day installment, as Frontier Publishing offers up new, dad-related chapters of four of our continuing novels.

Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 21
by Joel Jenkins
Curious about what happened to Garvey and Ntashia following last chapter's cliffhanger ending? Well, tough! You'll have to wait another month for that. THIS month, Joel brings us up to date on some of our supporting characters, as death draws closer to Naegrik and the children. Plus, in order to save her people, Garvey's sister-in-law Lana Shar has to hand out a whoopin' to an uppity friend that even a dad could be proud of.
Speculative Branch

Fermata, Chapter 4
by Michael Franzoni
Detectives Lawson and Stanislaus take one step closer to solving the murder of a young boy, as the mystery of who the kid's father is deepens.
Suspense Branch

Hidden Agendas, Chapter 12
by Des Davies
Porter Hingman gets some bad news about his missing children, and it's up to troubleshooter Gideon Chance to figure out a way to salvage the man's future.
Action Branch

Onyx Revolver, Chapter 19
by Tom Deja
Elsa Dawn and her father (whose soul happens to be trapped in the black-as-pitch gun Elsa carries) need each other more than ever, as Elsa must survive the charge of the hulking Maholo known as... Spike?
Action Branch

Think about it... what better way to show your dad you love him than to link him to a bunch of cool stories that show JUST HOW IMPORTANT he and people like him are in the lives of common man and adventurer alike? What better way to show you care?

Before you mist up, here's that link again

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

And be sure to tell dad that we love him too.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://www.frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

http://frontierpublishing.net

Happy 4th of July, Frontiersmen!

To all our international readers who don't celebrate Independence
day on the 4th of July... well, happy Monday.

Frontier has a gaggle of new chapters for your reading pleasure.
I'm sure almost all of them are patriotic in one way or the other.

***

Curtain Call, Chapter 9
by Russ Anderson

It was a damn good drawing though, and he knew the rest were among
his best work. His life, which had always been a dullness and
drudgery, punctuated by occasional bouts of stabbing loneliness, had
become suddenly strange. He wasn't sure how to react to it except
maybe to be a little scared, but he saw no way out. The girl in the
drawings had him like a fish on a hook. He could no more escape her
than he could the ravenous dragon of his dreams.

Dreamer's Syndrome, Chapter 15
by Mark Bousquet

Austin pulled the car out of the gas station, wondering why he
wasn't more amazed about an angel sitting in the passenger seat next
to him.

"These are troubled times," Berathon said dourly, looking down at
the bound Mollug in his alabaster hands.

Austin shifted into second gear. "I thought this was supposed to be
the start of a glorious new age. How could we have screwed things up
so badly so fast?"

Berathon shook his head, staring out the side window. "It is not
you, but us, who have taken erroneous steps. There . . . there is a
traitor among the Host."

Hidden Agendas, Chapter 13
by Des Davies

Chance paused and turned. His ice blue eyes bored into Nordcamp's
hazel eyes, pinning him in place. He broke the silence by
saying, "If you can think of anyone we need to talk to, or have
anything you want to add to the investigation, I'd be pleased to
hear it."

Indecision was written deep on Nordcamp's face. As his eyes darted
left and right, he answered, "I'll think on that and let you know if
I come up with something."

Chance held his peace for a long moment, then said, "Please do that."


Onyx Revolver, Chapter 20
by Thomas Deja

Elsa stumbled away from the shoulder of the interstate, her gait
unsteady, her body exhausted. Her father's voice was screaming in
her ears that the Falls, that Black, was right under her nose.
Behind her, the sounds of traffic grew distant, as if she was
leaving reality behind.

She waited patiently before crossing the highway a hundred yards
from the shoulder. Her shoes were grass stained. She felt dizzy and
disoriented. But when the opportunity opened up, she dashed across
the six lands like a sprinter on fire.

There are no Tropes in San Tropez, Chapter 4
by Danny Souder

"I cast my mind into the ether that night, trying to reach her. But
all I could find was one strand, a cooling trail, one not yet cold.
A strand that led into your dream. And I watched the dream with you,
through your own eyes, so that I was not able to identify you. I
cast my mind out for another and found a trail leading to you, Lucy.
All this to fulfill this most sacrosanct mission. Tell me where I
might find the princess."

Snoz was still standing but had not yet made the move to walk away.

The witch raised herself, slow and arthritic, to her feet. Her
shawl, her scarves, her blue gypsy dress all seemed to glow with new
color in the lamp light, in the candlelight.

"Tell me, or before the moon grows full you will die."

***

Now is that good reading or what? So read some Frontier goodness by
the light of a sparkler and the fireworks exploding outside your
home. It's way too cold to go outside anyway, right?

Mike Exner 3
Editor, Frontier Publishing
http://frontierpublishing.net

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

DIAMONDBACK, VOLUME II: ...AND THE DEVIL WILL DRAG YOU UNDER - Chapter 7
by Derrick Ferguson

Diamondback stood still as a statue, one hand in the pocket of his
pants, his duster and suit jacket casually thrown back to reveal the
empty holster he had drawn the .45 from so quickly that Arianna had
barely seen the movement. He slowly cocked back the hammer, his eyes
never leaving Arianna's. Behind the round lenses of his glasses she
could see that his eyes were devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

"My bitches sit when I tell them to."

Arianna slowly sat back down, hate and pity battling for equal time on
her face. "Jesus, Demetrius . . . what have you done to yourself?"


FERMATA - Chapter 5
by Michael Franzoni

Sighing heavily, Kate ran her fingers back through her hair. Murder
investigations were always frenzied, and they wore her out physically
and emotionally. Maybe he was right, though. Maybe she shouldn't get
too attached to finding the answers, but in her mind, there was no way
to justify that sort of detachment. If she didn't care about finding
the perp, then who would?


HIDDEN AGENDAS - Chapter 14
by Des Davies

He paused at the growl from the bed, then continued, "Hingman is
trying to become mayor of this city in order to further his efforts
regarding the security of the nation. However, it's been three years
since the Twin Towers, and people have gone back to worrying about
civil liberties more than increasing security. Hingman needs something
to awaken those fears again and make him the sympathetic figure in the
race. What better way than to have terrorists capture your children?"


ONYX REVOLVER - Chapter 21
by Thomas Deja

The man who was approaching her was huge – he seemed to be bursting
from his tasteful dress shirt and slacks. She couldn't tell if he was
handsome or not, since his face was concealed by a black mask with
silver, blood-stained fangs painted on it. He extended one hand larger
than a rack of ribs. "Don't bother getting up. You got banged up
badly. I'm El Vengedore."

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

DILLON AND THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN BELL - CHAPTER 20
by Derrick Ferguson
"Now that we've got The Golden Bell, things are going to get dicey
around here. They've been waiting to see if we could take it. Well, we
have. And in this business, it's not finding The Great Whatsis, it's
being able to hold onto it."

DREAMER'S SYNDROME - CHAPTER 16
by Mark Bousquet
The ninja pulled off her mask to reveal a beautiful young woman with
brown hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked Austin up and down.
"Pirate, huh? How's that working out?"

Austin smiled despite himself. "Not bad, all things considered. Sure,
I've been separated from my girlfriend, shot at, been told by a
complete stranger that my girlfriend is dead, and had my ship sunk on
me . . . but other than that, no complaints."

HIDDEN AGENDAS - CHAPTER 15
by Des Davies
At first glance, he looked like most of the other people on the
street, if a little more eccentric. However, the air he projected made
people move away from him so that he always walked within a bubble of
empty space. It was an air that spoke of madness.

ONYX REVOLVER - CHAPTER 22
by Thomas Deja
More whispers rose from the crowd to Johnny's ear. He smiled slightly.
"I know you guys aren't bad guys. You're all crooks and thugs and
button men, but you're decent. So I had to wonder why you let
Demetrius Black order you to do this."

"He's the head guy here," Doppler suggested.

"And you're telling me you guys, if you worked together, couldn't take him out?"

THERE ARE NO TROPES IN SAN TROPEZ - CHAPTER 5
by Danny Souder
On the day of her accident she was kicking rocks off a cliff's edge
when a shot rang out. A jackrabbit came bounding out of the bush, saw
Lucy, and veered away. Lucy shrieked with delight. Then from over her
shoulder a red-tailed hawk swooped out of the sky and nabbed the
jackrabbit in stride. Lucy shrieked in abject fright. She stumbled
back as the hawk took to the air and she was too close to the edge.

[DLFerguson]

www.frontierpublishing.net

EXILES OF THE DIRE PLANET - CHAPTER 22
by Joel Jenkins
Garvey reached down and grabbed Thenylis' mailed arm and yanked her to her feet. "Shut your mouth for a minute and maybe we can figure out a way out of here."

For a moment Thenylis considered lashing out with her sword blade at the insolent unbeliever who had interrupted her death prayer to the Omnipotent Vackri, but she felt the strength in the strange man's grip and instead she decided to lash out with her tongue. "And just where do you think that we'll go? Perhaps you've got a way to turn us all into fish so that we can swim away?"


FERMATA - CHAPTER 6
by Michael Franzoni
“What did you do?” Thad asked again, eyeing his friend closely. He was almost daring Steven to tell the truth – or what he believed to be truth – and he was damned certain that Steven was involved in this somehow. “What did you do to my girlfriend? I loved her. I mean, I really loved her. Can you even begin to understand what that means? CAN YOU?!”


HIDDEN AGENDAS - CHAPTER 16
by Des Davies
Pushing the door shut, Chance turned to regard Jack, who was still leaning against the front of the SUV.

“This is more your sort of entertainment and fun than mine, Gideon.”

[DLFerguson]

Hey Everybody,

Man, this is a really hard thing to do. But instead of blabbering on
for a few paragraphs before getting down to the nitty gritty, I'm
just going to go ahead and bite the bullet right off the bat.

Frontier is closing her doors in October.

As a lot of you (if not all of you) know, Russ has decided to step-
down as webmaster and editor for Frontier Publishing. Russ discussed
his decision with Mike and I before making the announcement and
mentioned that he would make a genuine effort to find a replacement.
But Mike and I were both of the mind that while our interest and
investment in Frontier was still very high, without Russ maintaining
the website we were certain that eventually our interest would fade.
And that lack would be to the detriment of the writers, the editors,
and Frontier Publishing itself.

This really isn't fair to you, the writers, who have invested so much
of your time and effort into making Frontier Publishing what it is
today. That was the hardest part about making this decision,
honestly, the fact that I would have to sit here and write something
like this.

But I wouldn't even consider writing something of this nature if I
thought that titles like Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell,
Dreamer's Syndrome, Fermata, Exiles of the Dire Planet, Curtain Call,
Tropes, Onyx Revolver, and all the rest didn't have the capability of
finding a home elsewhere on the internet or on bookshelves.

We've had a great run of almost four years, and when I look back on
everything we've accomplished: from Denbrook, to publishing Dillon
and the Voice of Odin, to Frontier Publishing Presents #1, to the
establishment of the branches and the additions of all the new
writers and the old hands like Derrick and Franz who have come to us
time and again with new ideas better than those that came before...
well, all I can really say is that it fills me with pride, and a
sense that I really accomplished something that had an impact.

So if you want, join me in a toast to Frontier Publishing and all of
you. I've enjoyed working with you, and I think I can say the same
for Russ and Mike. I think we've all established far more than a
working relationship over three years, and though Frontier Publishing
is no more, I'm glad I was able to call you all Frontiersmen (and
Frontierwoman, Meg) and friends.

-Mike Exner III
Editor, Frontier Publishing

[DLFerguson]

Hey Everybody,

Man, this is a really hard thing to do. But instead of blabbering on
for a few paragraphs before getting down to the nitty gritty, I'm
just going to go ahead and bite the bullet right off the bat.

Frontier is closing her doors in October.

As a lot of you (if not all of you) know, Russ has decided to step-
down as webmaster and editor for Frontier Publishing. Russ discussed
his decision with Mike and I before making the announcement and
mentioned that he would make a genuine effort to find a replacement.
But Mike and I were both of the mind that while our interest and
investment in Frontier was still very high, without Russ maintaining
the website we were certain that eventually our interest would fade.
And that lack would be to the detriment of the writers, the editors,
and Frontier Publishing itself.

This really isn't fair to you, the writers, who have invested so much
of your time and effort into making Frontier Publishing what it is
today. That was the hardest part about making this decision,
honestly, the fact that I would have to sit here and write something
like this.

But I wouldn't even consider writing something of this nature if I
thought that titles like Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell,
Dreamer's Syndrome, Fermata, Exiles of the Dire Planet, Curtain Call,
Tropes, Onyx Revolver, and all the rest didn't have the capability of
finding a home elsewhere on the internet or on bookshelves.

We've had a great run of almost four years, and when I look back on
everything we've accomplished: from Denbrook, to publishing Dillon
and the Voice of Odin, to Frontier Publishing Presents #1, to the
establishment of the branches and the additions of all the new
writers and the old hands like Derrick and Franz who have come to us
time and again with new ideas better than those that came before...
well, all I can really say is that it fills me with pride, and a
sense that I really accomplished something that had an impact.

So if you want, join me in a toast to Frontier Publishing and all of
you. I've enjoyed working with you, and I think I can say the same
for Russ and Mike. I think we've all established far more than a
working relationship over three years, and though Frontier Publishing
is no more, I'm glad I was able to call you all Frontiersmen (and
Frontierwoman, Meg) and friends.

-Mike Exner III
Editor, Frontier Publishing

[Lex]

Oh really? That's too bad. I love most of the writers at Frontier.

I'm lucky that I just ordered Frontier Publishing Presents #1 before you guys close down. I'm looking forward to it.

But still, this is sad to hear.

[DLFerguson]

Oh really? That's too bad. I love most of the writers at Frontier.

I'm lucky that I just ordered Frontier Publishing Presents #1 before you guys close down. I'm looking forward to it.

But still, this is sad to hear.

Thanks for your support, Lex. It's much appreciated. And even though FRONTIER isn't going to be around any more, keep watching this space as I'll keep you posted on the various projects FRONTIER writers are working on and where you can find the continuation of the unfinished serials.

[DLFerguson]

So as most of you reading this know, Frontier will be closing its doors on Oct. 1. If things carried on as usual in this, our final month, we would update today, update again in 2 weeks, and that would be all she wrote. One more update for each of our ongoing titles, and then... no more. Until those titles find a new home, that is.

But it IS our final month... so why the hell should we do things like we've always done them?

Over the next several weeks, you will see a new chapter at Frontier EVERY DAY until September 30th... or until we run out of stuff to post. What does that leave you to look forward to?

- The remaining chapters of both Danny Souder's "There Are No Tropes in San Tropez", and Des Davies' "Hidden Agendas".

- A special Diamondback short story called "The Lightheart Hit" by Derrick Ferguson

- And whatever else Frontier's writers can get into my grubby little hands in the next 25 days.

++++++++++

Today's update is the latest chapter of Mark Bousquet's epic, "Dreamer's Syndrome". If you haven't been reading DS up to this point, there probably isn't much I can say here that will change your mind, but how many other books have you read that can get away with this line of dialogue?

“Welcome, ninjas and broadcast journalists, to Regent Castle!”

If that doesn't sell you, you're hopeless.

++++++++++

More tomorrow. In the meantime, check us out at http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

On tap today at Frontier Publishing is the latest chapter of Danny Souder's spooky slacker noir tale, "There Are No Tropes in San Tropez". Chapter 6 that is.

If you haven't been reading Danny's work up to this point, you might be surprised to know that Danny is going to bury all of us. He's THAT good.

(Unless we whack him, that is. And with Derrick Ferguson on our side, that's always a possibility.)

I'm tired, damnit. Go read the story already.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

A few months ago, shortly after Frontier's first comic book, Frontier Publishing Presents #1 (still available through our online store!) came into being, there was much discussion about doing an issue #2, with new stories derived from different Frontier properties than those that had appeared in the first issue.

Sadly, that isn't going to happen now. But we do have some interesting leftovers from the idea, not the least of which is a nifty little Diamondback short story that Derrick Ferguson wrote with the intention of having Mike McGee translate it into a comic script.

So, as part of our sayonara month (and because Derrick is busy with other stuff that I really wish I could tell you about), we're running this short Diamondback piece, with more blood and carnage per word than just about anything we've run on the site before -- well, anything we've run since Mike McGee finished Luna Court anyway.

Get over to Frontier and check out Diamondback: The Lightheart Hit. It's good for healthy teeth and bones.

Russ

[DLFerguson]

http://www.frontierpublishing.net

Frontier Publishing... even in our death throes, we're serving up heaping portions of original serial fiction goodness.

Exiles of the Dire Planet, Chapter 23
by Joel Jenkins

Hidden Agendas, Chapter 18
by Des Davies

There Are No Tropes in San Tropez, Chapter 8
by Danny Souder

You know where to find 'em. Get thee gone.

Russ Anderson
Editor, Frontier Publishing

[DLFerguson]

Even though FRONTIER lives on only in the hearts and memories of its fans, one of the site's favorite characters continues to enjoy new adventures in DILLON AND THE BAD ASS BELT BUCKLE!

The first two chapters can be read and enjoyed @ Cliffhanger Case Files http://www.paratime.ca/cliffhanger/ with the conclusion coming this weekend so it's good time to catch up! Enjoy!

[DLFerguson]

You've heard the rumors and I'm sure there have been times when you figured I'd either given up on the thing or was just being my usual delusional self. Such is not the case and I'm very happy to announce that at last DERRICK FERGUSON'S MOVIE REVIEW NOTEBOOK is finally and at last available.

At 220 pages with 50 reviews of movies ranging from comedies to science fiction to westerns to dramas. From the familiar to the obscure. From successes to flops. It's a collection of reviews I've written over the past three years in one TPB sized package that I hope will entertain and maybe turn you on to a movie you might have overlooked or passed up. You may or may not agree with my opinions but I guarantee you won't be bored reading it.

DERRICK FERGUSON'S MOVIE REVIEW NOTEBOOK is available through Lulu.com and you can go directly to http://www.lulu.com/content/260678 for purchase and shipping information.

[DLFerguson]

By popular demand (which means my idiot second cousin Popular Ferguson demanded it) my 2004 interview with Jana Oliver where I discussed DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN as well as Frontier Publishing is being re-presented as a podcast download on The Leisure Talk Radio Network

Head on over to http://www.leisuretalk.net, and scroll down until you see the cover for DILLON AND THE VOICE OF ODIN and under that there'll be a clicky thing for you to download the interview.

Jana's going to do a new interview with me this Sunday so this is a good way for you to get used to the horrendous sound of my voice before the new interview is available. Enjoy!