There’s something about the crack of a pistol in a black-and-white alleyway that still gets my pulse up.
That animation you see above? That’s the mood. That’s the heartbeat. That’s the kind of scene that used to pull me in when I was a boy flipping through dog-eared paperbacks and pulp magazines that smelled faintly of ink and adventure.
And that’s exactly the spirit behind the next installment of the Realms Unwritten series:
Gunsmoke & Glamour
This collection dives headfirst into vintage noir pulp — private eyes with tired souls, femme fatales with dangerous smiles, spies trading secrets in smoke-filled rooms, and cities that never quite sleep.
When I was young, I struggled to love reading the way some kids naturally do. It wasn’t the tidy schoolbook stories that hooked me. It was the bold covers. The dramatic shadows. The promise that something dangerous was waiting inside.
Detectives.
Espionage.
Double crosses.
Midnight confessions.
Those were the stories that taught me to love books.
And eventually… to write them.
Gunsmoke & Glamour is my homage to that era — to the fast-paced detective tales and spy thrillers that first sparked my imagination. This installment of Realms Unwritten invites writers and artists alike to step into the fog, ask hard questions, and create their own shadow-drenched worlds.
Because sometimes all it takes is a single image — a silhouette, a revolver, a glance over the shoulder — to ignite a story.
Pokémon Day Convention – March 1st
I’m also thrilled to share that I’ll be offering my books — and signing copies — at Pokémon Day this Sunday, March 1st, at Bradley Square Mall in Cleveland, TN.
Whether you’re a fan of art, storytelling, pulp adventure, or just love celebrating creativity in all its forms, I would truly love to see you there.
Events like this remind me why I write in the first place. Stories bring people together. Art sparks conversations. And somewhere in those conversations, inspiration strikes again.
If you have a love for writing…
If you sketch in the margins of your notebooks…
If you grew up captivated by bold covers and thrilling tales…
Come say hello.
Let’s talk about stories.
Let’s talk about art.
Let’s talk about the worlds we haven’t written yet.
I hope to see you Sunday.
— D.B. Hopson
