Rhoades

Woods

 

Key West publishing world expands

 

BY MARK HOWELL

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

 

Two leading players in the publishing and popular-culture world of Key West have acquired a publishing company devoted to what is known as underground crime fiction, or in its own words, “bullets, booze and bra straps.”

New Pulp Press is located in the same cyber world as Absolutely Amazing eBooks of Key West, which produces and markets its product largely through the Internet.

As of Jan.1, 2015, Jon Bassoff, the founder of New Pulp Press, will hand over control and ownership of his award-winning press to Absolutely Amazing eBooks founder Shirrel Rhoades and author Jonathan Woods. While Bassoff remains associated with New Pulp Press in an advisory role, Woods will be in charge of acquisitions and editorial matters and Rhoades will take the lead on business, marketing and distribution.

Woods has been associated with New Pulp Press as a writer since its early days. It published three of his books, including “Bad Juju & Other Tales of Madness and Mayhem.” Says Bassoff: “Jonathan shares the same warped sensibilities that I do,” adding, “I look forward to seeing where he takes this rowdy little press next.”

Rhoades has led a remarkable and varied life in publishing, including a stint as executive vice president and publisher of Marvel Comics. Today, with Absolutely Amazing eBooks he publishes a broad range of titles from horror to humor, non-fiction to mystery.

Says Bassoff: “Shirrel’s marketing expertise and his existing publishing business will competitively enhance New Pulp Press and bring its writers to a wider audience. From the beginning it was my hope that New Pulp Press would give voice to talented crime fiction writers whose work scared the shit out of the corporate publishers. In that I think I have succeeded. And I’m thrilled that, thanks to Jonathan and Shirrel, New Pulp Press will continue as a force in the genre.”

Added Rhoades: “In New Pulp Press, Jon created a small press dedicated to publishing edgy and transgressive crime fiction that mainstream publishing wouldn’t touch. Jonathan and I are pleased to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to continue that tradition and hopefully grow and enhance the reputation of New Pulp Press.”

Said Woods: “As a writer and a reader, I’m dedicated to all things noir, pulpy and over the top. Together, Shirrel and I are focused on making New Pulp Press the home of crime writing that snarls in the face of traditional publishers and stretches the borders of the genre.”

The new owners of New Pulp Press are already deep into developing next year’s lineup of New Pulp writers, including new work by Tim L. Williams and Lynn Kostoff.

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