There's nothing like holding a pulp magazine; smelling that wonderful smell of the decaying acidic paper, seeing the garish brightly colored cover, looking for the names that became legends. Since 1978, I always wanted to create, edit, design and publish my own "pulp" speculative fiction - science fiction, fantasy, horror, weird, cyberpunk, etc. - magazine. I've tried many times. I know it's a ridiculous pursuit, especially since magazines themselves virtually are extinct as of 2018. Reading the non-fiction in the pulps is a glimpse into how scientists and writers thought the future would happen. The way the future was. This is an attempt to feel a little of that. It may or may not be a one-off, depending upon how many writers I can get to contribute. At least one issue, the one you hold in your hands, of Phenomenal Stories does exist, and that's one more pulp magazine than existed before. Perhaps one day, you can read this and think, hmm, that's the way the future was.

There's nothing like holding a pulp magazine; smelling that wonderful smell of the decaying acidic paper, seeing the garish brightly colored cover, looking for the names that became legends.Since 1978, I always wanted to create, edit, design and publish my own "pulp" speculative fiction -- science fiction, fantasy, horror, weird, cyberpunk, etc. -- magazine.I've tried many times. I know it's a ridiculous pursuit, especially since magazines themselves virtually are extinct as of 2018.Reading the non-fiction in the pulps is a glimpse into how scientists and writers thought the future would happen. The way the future was.This is an attempt to feel a little of that. It may or may not be a one-off, depending upon how many writers I can get to contribute.At least one issue, the one you hold in your hands, of Phenomenal Stories does exist, and that's one more pulp magazine than existed before.Perhaps one day, you can read this and think, hmm, that's the way the future was.

This third issue of Phenomenal Stories features the conclusion of the three-part cyberpunk short novel, 'Closer, ' and continues the science fiction end of the world novel, 'After.' In the short story department, Richard H. Nilsen tells the odd tale of "The Quick & the Curious," and the saga of Robert & Cara continues in the Robert W. Chambers-inspired tale, "The House of the Sign." The editor takes a look at "That Lovecraft Bunch," and 'Gosh! Wow! A Personal History of the Pulps' continues with part 3. Phenomenal Stories is a modern-day tribute to the science fiction/horror/fantasy/speculative pulp magazines of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.

In this second issue of Phenomenal Stories, we continue the Cyberpunk serial 'Closer' and the more traditional science fiction serial 'After: The End of the World's Not All It's Cracked Up To Be.' Richard H. Nilsen returns with a horror story in collaboration with Shawn M. Tomlinson titled "The 9 Corners." It takes place at Nine Corners Lake in the Adirondacks. J.D. Hayes-Canell is back, too, with another horror tale, this one titled, "Julie in a Jar." The story of Robert and Cara continues with "A Visitor in Arkham." Over on the non-fiction side, there's Gosh! Wow! A Personal History of the Pulps Chapter 2: The Start of It All. And Shawn M. Tomlinson rounds out the issue with his Hitchhiker in Time column, The Lurking Fear, about H.P. Lovecraft and the need to write.

This fourth issue of Phenomenal Stories features the beginning of the six-part young adult fantasy novel, 'The Book of Power, ' by Richard H. Nilsen with illustrations by Linda Naske and a frontispiece by Richard's daughter, Cara Nilsen. The science fiction end of the world novel, 'After, ' continues and we start two new columns in this issue. The first is a travel log by put-upon reporter/columnist J.D. Hayes-Canell titled Dunces & Dragons. The second column is all about writer by Richard H. Nilsen titled The Write Stuff. The first installment is a general guide to writing, but future parts will go into specifics to help the budding writer write. The editor takes a look at Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics, and 'Gosh! Wow! A Personal History of the Pulps' continues with part 4. Phenomenal Stories is a modern-day tribute to the science fiction/horror/fantasy/speculative pulp magazines of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940

I have collected many, many pulps over the years, but at the back of my mind, I always hoped to edit one.My first job, as editor of two trade newspapers, deluded me. I created a presentation and went to the publisher. He listened, but he never spoke about it.I worked at many newspapers and magazines, but no one was interested.I founded a few magazines: The Antediluvian Levee, The Game's Afoot, Different Deaths, Ride of the Horsemen, etc. I then tried to start the kind of magazine you hold. It didn't work then, though. I just didn't have time to do it.Finally, in late 2018, I started working on it, pulling writers and artists together, doing some preliminary designs, etc. The first few issues came together so fast that I pressed on. I didn't hesitate, but got the first issue into print as soon as possible.This book is a collection of nearly everything that appeared in the four issues of Phenomenal Stories, Volume 1. There's also a best of collection magazine titled Lost Carcosa available.

This third issue of Phenomenal Stories features the conclusion of the three-part cyberpunk short novel, 'Closer, ' and continues the science fiction end of the world novel, 'After.' In the short story department, Richard H. Nilsen tells the odd tale of "The Quick & the Curious," and the saga of Robert & Cara continues in the Robert W. Chambers-inspired tale, "The House of the Sign." The editor takes a look at "That Lovecraft Bunch," and 'Gosh! Wow! A Personal History of the Pulps' continues with part 3. Phenomenal Stories is a modern-day tribute to the science fiction/horror/fantasy/speculative pulp magazines of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.

This fourth issue of Phenomenal Stories features the beginning of the six-part young adult fantasy novel, 'The Book of Power,' by Richard H. Nilsen with illustrations by Linda Naske and a frontispiece by Richard's daughter, Cara Nilsen. The science fiction end of the world novel, 'After,' continues and we start two new columns in this issue. The first is a travel log by put-upon reporter/columnist J.D. Hayes-Canell titled Dunces & Dragons. The second column is all about writer by Richard H. Nilsen titled The Write Stuff. The first installment is a general guide to writing, but future parts will go into specifics to help the budding writer write. The editor takes a look at Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics, and 'Gosh! Wow! A Personal History of the Pulps' continues with part 4. Phenomenal Stories is a modern-day tribute to the science fiction/horror/fantasy/speculative pulp magazines of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.

In this second issue of Phenomenal Stories, we continue the Cyberpunk serial 'Closer' and the more traditional science fiction serial 'After: The End of the World's Not All It's Cracked Up To Be.' Richard H. Nilsen returns with a horror story in collaboration with Shawn M. Tomlinson titled "The 9 Corners." It takes place at Nine Corners Lake in the Adirondacks. J.D. Hayes-Canell is back, too, with another horror tale, this one titled, "Julie in a Jar." The story of Robert and Cara continues with "A Visitor in Arkham." Over on the non-fiction side, there's Gosh! Wow! A Personal History of the Pulps Chapter 2: The Start of It All. And Shawn M. Tomlinson rounds out the issue with his Hitchhiker in Time column, The Lurking Fear, about H.P. Lovecraft and the need to write.

No one starts a magazine more than two decades into the 21st century.No one!It's only an adled brain that would even toy with the idea. Print publications are on their way out. The few surviors are frightened, huddled, waiting silently for the long night to come.Well, not here at Phenomenal Stories!We never expected to have any readers, so how could we be disappointed?And we're not!OK, OK, there may be one or two readers who, ironically, are reading Phenomenal Stories on their Kindles.Other than that, though, it's safe to say that after the first four issues we are very nearly 100%% reader-free!So why are we doing this?I put it to you as a question: Why wouldn't we be doing this?OK, plenty of reasons, but we're doing it anyway.Come on along!