88 episodes
Point Blank: Hardboiled, Noir, & Detective Fiction Justin & Kurt
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4.5 • 79 Ratings
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Point Blank is a podcast about hardboiled, noir, and detective fiction. Mixing serious analysis and humor, the co-hosts (Justin and Kurt) discuss classic or contemporary works of crime fiction in each episode. In addition to major works, they offer shorter reviews, and examine noir-ish topics such as alcoholism in detective fiction, the femme fatale, and race and labor in crime fiction. Stroll with Kurt and Justin down the rain drenched alleys and mean streets as they explore the fascinating world of crime fiction.
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E84: Writing Rat Face: A Point Blank Limited Series (Episode 10)
Welcome to "Writing Rat Face," a Point Blank Limited Series on one writer's process of writing a 50,000 word novel first draft.
Rat Face is a post-apocalyptic crime novel set in a world ravaged by nuclear war and climate change. The main character, Rat Face, is a noir-ish hitman and delinquent looking to solve his father figure's murder before the Terror Squads find & liquidate him.
In this series of 10 short episodes, Justin Bendell discusses his weekly process as he writes 50,000 words in three months, including the day-to-day ups and downs, the challenges and dead-ends, and the surprises along the way as his novel draft evolves.
In Episode 10, Writing Rat Face concludes.
Email the show: pointblanknoir@gmail.com
Twitter: @pointblanknoir
Facebook: Point Blank: Hardboiled, Noir, and Detective Fiction
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/point-blank-hardboiled-noir-detective-fiction/id1276038868
Support the show:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pointblankcrime
Don’t forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts and share the show with your friends! -
E83: Writing Rat Face: A Point Blank Limited Series (Episode 9)
Welcome to "Writing Rat Face," a Point Blank Limited Series on one writer's process of writing a 50,000 word novel first draft.
Rat Face is a post-apocalyptic crime novel set in a world ravaged by nuclear war and climate change. The main character, Rat Face, is a noir-ish hitman and delinquent looking to solve his father figure's murder before the Terror Squads find & liquidate him.
In this series of 10 short episodes, Justin Bendell discusses his weekly process as he writes 50,000 words in three months, including the day-to-day ups and downs, the challenges and dead-ends, and the surprises along the way as his novel draft evolves.
In Episode 9, the penultimate episode of Writing Rat Face, Justin (and Rat Face) race toward the finish line.
Email the show: pointblanknoir@gmail.com
Twitter: @pointblanknoir
Facebook: Point Blank: Hardboiled, Noir, and Detective Fiction
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/point-blank-hardboiled-noir-detective-fiction/id1276038868
Support the show:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pointblankcrime
Don’t forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts and share the show with your friends! -
E82: Writing Rat Face: A Point Blank Limited Series (Episode 8)
Welcome to "Writing Rat Face," a Point Blank Limited Series on one writer's process of writing a 50,000 word novel first draft.
Rat Face is a post-apocalyptic crime novel set in a world ravaged by nuclear war and climate change. The main character, Rat Face, is a noir-ish hitman and delinquent looking to solve his father figure's murder before the Terror Squads find & liquidate him.
In this series of 10 short episodes, Justin Bendell discusses his weekly process as he writes 50,000 words in three months, including the day-to-day ups and downs, the challenges and dead-ends, and the surprises along the way as his novel draft evolves.
In Episode 8 of Writing Rat Face, Justin emerges from the middlegame slog and finds himself (and Rat Face) moving toward the story climax. He uses chess analogies, examines a potential femme fatale, discusses the problem of individuality, and comtemplates how a characters' dream world might grease the wheels of a stuck narrative.
Email the show: pointblanknoir@gmail.com
Twitter: @pointblanknoir
Facebook: Point Blank: Hardboiled, Noir, and Detective Fiction
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/point-blank-hardboiled-noir-detective-fiction/id1276038868
Support the show:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pointblankcrime
Don’t forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts and share the show with your friends! -
E81: Writing Rat Face: A Point Blank Limited Series (Episode 7)
Welcome to "Writing Rat Face," a Point Blank Limited Series on one writer's process of writing a 50,000 word novel first draft.
Rat Face is a post-apocalyptic crime novel set in a world ravaged by nuclear war and climate change. The main character, Rat Face, is a noir-ish hitman and delinquent looking to solve his father figure's murder before the Terror Squads find & liquidate him.
In this series of 10 short episodes, Justin Bendell discusses his weekly process as he writes 50,000 words in three months, including the day-to-day ups and downs, the challenges and dead-ends, and the surprises along the way as his novel draft evolves.
In Episode 7 of Writing Rat Face, Justin shares a plot building technique that has helped him with story logic & flow.
Email the show: pointblanknoir@gmail.com
Twitter: @pointblanknoir
Facebook: Point Blank: Hardboiled, Noir, and Detective Fiction
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/point-blank-hardboiled-noir-detective-fiction/id1276038868
Support the show:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pointblankcrime
Don’t forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts and share the show with your friends! -
E80: Writing Rat Face: A Point Blank Limited Series (Episode 6)
Welcome to "Writing Rat Face," a Point Blank Limited Series on one writer's process of writing a 50,000 word novel first draft.
Rat Face is a post-apocalyptic crime novel set in a world ravaged by nuclear war and climate change. The main character, Rat Face, is a noir-ish hitman and delinquent looking to solve his father figure's murder before the Terror Squads find & liquidate him.
In this series of 10 short episodes, Justin Bendell discusses his weekly process as he writes 50,000 words in three months, including the day-to-day ups and downs, the challenges and dead-ends, and the surprises along the way as his novel draft evolves.
In Episode 6 of Writing Rat Face, Justin continues to doggy-paddle through the middle part of the novel. He also continues to ask critical questions about his central character, Rat Face, which inevitably leads to questions about the author himself.
Email the show: pointblanknoir@gmail.com
Twitter: @pointblanknoir
Facebook: Point Blank: Hardboiled, Noir, and Detective Fiction
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/point-blank-hardboiled-noir-detective-fiction/id1276038868
Support the show:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pointblankcrime
Don’t forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts and share the show with your friends! -
E79: Writing Rat Face: A Point Blank Limited Series (Episode 5)
Welcome to "Writing Rat Face," a Point Blank Limited Series on one writer's process of writing a 50,000 word novel first draft.
Rat Face is a post-apocalyptic crime novel set in a world ravaged by nuclear war and climate change. The main character, Rat Face, is a noir-ish hitman and delinquent looking to solve his father figure's murder before the Terror Squads find & liquidate him.
In this series of 10 short episodes, Justin Bendell discusses his weekly process as he writes 50,000 words in three months, including the day-to-day ups and downs, the challenges and dead-ends, and the surprises along the way as his novel draft evolves.
In Episode 5 of Writing Rat Face, Justin interrogates his central character, Rat Face, and comes away with a better understanding of Rat Face's emotional and philosophical journey.
Email the show: pointblanknoir@gmail.com
Twitter: @pointblanknoir
Facebook: Point Blank: Hardboiled, Noir, and Detective Fiction
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/point-blank-hardboiled-noir-detective-fiction/id1276038868
Support the show:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pointblankcrime
Don’t forget to rate us on Apple Podcasts and share the show with your friends!
Customer Reviews
4.4
Good podcast
Not perfect, which makes it great
As a Chandler fan, my intro to Point Blank was the Big Sleep episode (3). I binged ten more over the next couple of days and I continue to sample random episodes here and there. It’s obvious after a few minutes that Justin and Kurt have a sincere love and deep knowledge of the genre(s). Their excitement is infectious, even when I’m not particularly into a book or author, or disagree with their opinions. Yet they’re not annoyingly geeky or over-caffeinated, which ruins a lot of other podcasts. Like good writers, they have a great sense of pacing, something else other podcasts could learn from. They’re able to take deep dives without exhausting the subject (or being exhausting), and their short reviews and analyses don’t feel shallow or slight. Another refreshing aspect is that I feel I’m listening to actual people talking, not “performers.” They’re just professional enough to keep it smooth and listenable, but it feels intimate and real (most of the time — see below). They’re opinionated without being obnoxious or pretentious, humble enough to allow the existence of other points of view, and aren’t afraid to call out their own biases. They have distinct personalities and approaches that helps keep things interesting. My one big critique is far from a deal-breaker, but bears mentioning… The discussions are fresh and natural, yet many solo reviews feel too formal, where it’s obvious they’re reading from prepared texts. Podcasts aren’t audiobooks or lectures. A minor criticism, which is admittedly out of their control, is that they agree too much! I’d love to hear more Siskel and Ebert-like (dating myself…) arguments. Overall, I can’t see a serious crime fiction/noir fan not finding Point Blank interesting and entertaining, and I think it would be a great intro for an avid reader who’s not familiar with the genres but would like to dive in. PS: A few reviews here call out PB for being “political” or “woke.” This is extremely misleading, as the podcast is anything but. They only broach such subjects as race, sexuality, gender, etc when it’s integral to the material itself, or context is required in analyzing books from the 1920s-70s in the 21st century. While they don’t attempt to be neutral or “fair and balanced,” they don’t preach, at all.
Heating up
Sierra Madre! Iceberg Slim! This show is heating up!! I’m very excited. I’d love to hear your guys experience reading the great work of Donald Goines.