As part of National Novel month here in the United States, Tommy Hancock, the co-founder of Pro Se Productions; has asked all his contributors to share with their readers the company's mission statement for 2015 and beyond.
Considering that Pro Se is home to HUGH MONN, PRIVATE DETECTIVE and ALPHA the superhero by yours truly; I'm turning the rest of this post over to Mister Hancock.
INNOVATIVE
GENRE FICTION AND NEW PULP PUBLISHER ESTABLISHES AGGRESSIVE MISSION
AND SCHEDULE FOR 2015 FORWARD
By Tommy Hancock of Pro See Productions
Pro
Se Productions, a publishing house based in Batesville, Arkansas,
announced today plans for future projects and a more streamlined
focus in its overall mission.
Established
in 2010, Pro Se Productions entered into publishing focusing on a
style of fiction that would come to be known by many as ‘New Pulp’.
Inspired by the usually fast paced, plot-centric tales peopled with
larger than life characters published in Pulp magazines of the early
20th
Century, New Pulp as a style pays homage to classic Pulp, but also
often brings a modern relevance as well as other aspects to new
works. Although not the first publisher focusing on New Pulp, Pro Se
quickly established itself as a leader in the niche market that
existed for stories of this type.
Since
its inception, Pro Se Productions has published over 150 individual
titles, either in print, digitally, or both. Pro Se is known for
publishing a variety of authors and artists, from previously
unpublished creators to New York Times bestselling authors. The
company has also established several different imprints, including
author centered lines, an imprint focused on genre fiction for young
readers, a nonfiction/academic imprint both studying New Pulp and
offering facts and resource materials for fans and authors, and
others. One of Pro Se’s newest and strongest innovations has been
the development of the Pro Se Single Shot and Pro Se Single Shot
Signature lines, providing digital only short fiction – stand alone
stories as well as series, serialized novels, and author focused
imprints – for 99 cents each.
As
a New Pulp publisher, Pro Se has thrown a wide net regarding the
stories it accepts and publishes, carrying representatives of
multiple genres in its catalog. In doing this, Pro Se has become
identified as a Publisher of Genre Fiction as well.
“Pro
Se Productions,” says Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor-in-Chief
of Pro Se, “is most definitely a publisher of New Pulp. The
company is also considered a Genre Fiction publisher as well. The
two terms aren’t mutually exclusive. The bottom line and Pro Se’s
mission from here on out is really simple. We intend to publish
quality Genre Fiction, the best of the best, and a fair share of what
we publish will be action adventure oriented, regardless of genre,
and will appeal to not only New Pulp fans hopefully, but classic Pulp
fans, heroic fiction fans, and overall just fans in general.”
“Pro
Se,” continues Hancock, “intends to take the type of works we
publish, both past and future, not only to the audience we know
exists for them, but to new fans, to markets most New Pulp or general
Genre Fiction publishers have yet to tap. We’ll be focusing on
genre specific markets for the books that fit in them, but we also
intend to introduce fan bases that didn’t know they already enjoyed
the sort of work that writers and artists who create for Pro Se
produce. The diversity Pro Se already has in our library is a good
platform from which to grow. And that won’t simply be done just
because we want it to be. In the coming months, Pro Se will be
experimenting with different ways of packaging current and future
works as well as innovations in distribution and promotion. We’ve
spent the last four years building a company that we are proud of.
Now it’s time to show as much of the world as possible why they
should be, as readers, a part of what Pro Se is doing.”
One
major area of focus for Pro Se in the immediate future is the Pro Se
Single Shot and Single Shot Signature lines. “The thing,” says
Hancock, “about getting what a company publishes into the hands of
as many fans as possible is that it has to be accessible and
affordable. The Pro Se digital singles most definitely qualify in
both ways and also feature some of the best writers in Genre Fiction
today. We’ve also structured the lines in such a way that, within
the next two months, we will be making several announcements related
to various ways to access the Single Shots, potentially at even a
better price than the current 99 cents on average. Much like classic Pulp magazines of the
past, the Pro Se Single Shot lines have the potential to be the
gateway for new fans into Genre Fiction and perhaps the strongest arm
of Pro Se in the future.”
Pro
Se Productions is committing to an aggressive schedule in 2015 and
beyond. Known for publishing up to four books or more a month in the
last 18 months, Pro Se has no plans to slow down. The company is no
longer taking unsolicited submissions until January 1, 2016. The
purpose of this is to focus on the myriad of works already scheduled
for 2015, a lineup that is impressive, to say the least.
“To
list everything,” says Hancock, “would take pages and pages. We
will be transparent in coming months, making multiple announcements
about projects and events. Pro Se Productions is proud to say,
though, that we will be bringing fans not only the best authors we
already publish, but new names as well. Some they may recognize, such
as John Lutz, Robert Randisi, and Richard Lee Byers, and others may
be new to them, like Charlotte Knox, Raymond Masters, and Spencer
Loeb. H. David Blalock will have a collection of short stories
published by Pro Se Productions. Author Paul Bishop is developing a
new series of crime fiction and Pro Se is proud to be the home for
it. Van Allen Plexico will also have a much stronger and welcome
presence with Pro Se in 2015 and beyond. New Pulp concepts, like
Derrick Ferguson’s Dillon, will receive the academic treatment in
our PulpStudies imprint.”
“Pro
Se will also continue to bring the best of classic fiction back in
new stories, something that we have been doing already in our Pulp
Obscura imprint. Beginning in 2015, Pro Se will have a new imprint
focused on bringing classic public domain characters back to life in
new stories as well as continuing to do so through Pulp Obscura. Pro
Se will also continue to work with companies like Heroic Publishing
and creators like Barry Reese and Gary Phillips and publish licensed
works for them as well as others to be announced later.”
“Most
assuredly,” guarantees Hancock, “we will also continue to bring
you the best authors in Genre Fiction, as we have been doing for four
years. More work from Nancy Hansen, Logan L. Masterson, Kevin
Rodgers, Lee Houston, Jr., and other Pro Se stalwarts is definitely
on the way. Put simply, Pro Se Productions will continue to produce
the best fiction in multiple genres from quality creators possible.”
To
learn more about Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com.
Like Pro Se on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.
Other than getting to read Chuck Miller's story for the upcoming superhero anthology that will include the works of David Michelinie, Jim Beard, Erwin K. Roberts, and myself; for better or worse I didn't get anything else accomplished creatively this past week.
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