Mountain View Publishing scribe Tim Lasiuta is now scribbling pulp fiction tales about spooks.
Lasiuta, a reporter for the Innisfail Province, has just published a short story on the life and times of a fictitious spy in a new espionage anthology called Covert Ops: Gemini. His story is one of three tales in the anthology, which is being released by Pro Se Productions.
The story is about Jonesy S. Nottingham, a comic book artist in real life, who spent time training with Covert Ops as a younger man. He is called to action to defend John Diefenbaker, the president of the United States, and the mayor of New York from a madman determined to assassinate them in Times Square.
Lasiuta, a veteran writer in the pulp fiction genre, pitched his latest tale to Pro Se editor Tommy Hancock about a year ago.
ìHe accepted and I wrote it, going through five edits until they were happy with the pulp style,î said Lasiuta. ìPulp is hard to write; the hard-boiled, crisp style is different. Having met Robert Culp of I, Spy in 2008, I waited for the opportunity to write a spy tale that encompassed the espionage genre.î
Lasiuta has been a pulp fiction and comic book addict since he was a teenager. He always wanted to either draw for comic books or write for them.
ìMy interest in writing was sparked by early reading of Doc Savage novels, western comic books, and the classics,î said Lasiuta, adding his passion for writing pulp fiction and comic books has been constant for more than 30 years.
He is a regular attendee at comic book conventions, whether it's New York or Calgary, and he is first in line to meet and exchange ideas with comic book legends including Jerry Robinson, Stan Lee, Joe Sinnott, Neal Adams, Jim Sterannko, Joe Simon, and Mart Nodell, who created the Green Lantern.
"When I first heard about Covert Ops: Gemini, I was excited to be offered the opportunity to write a spy story having enjoyed Mission Impossible and I, Spy as a kid,î said Lasiuta.
"As a Canadian writer, I wanted to inject a little Canadianism into the story, and with the Cold War as a background, having an assassination attempt on Diefenbaker seemed reasonable.î
Lasiuta's other pending contracts include a Nosferatu adaptation for Graphic Classics, a book on Joe Sinnot for Hermes Press, a graphic novel based on a movie, and articles for True West Magazine.
ìMy favourite project to date has been the Tom Gill book, wwww.lonerangercartoonist.com,î said Lasiuta. ìIt's kind of like your first love. It is always special."
