Acquired Tastes XLIII: Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 53 - P.E.C. French Line Books, 3 of 8

Acquired Tastes XLIII

Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 53

P.E.C. French Line Books, 3 of 8

Today, we take a third look at PEC (Publishers Export Company) French Line books. Little is known about the company, for censorship laws at the time made secrecy a necessary component when publishing books of this nature; only the most brazen operators left a paper trail. Operating out of San Diego, CA, the PEC French Line books were published from 1966-1971, though the company itself was active, publishing several imprints starting in (at least) 1965.

The French Line series includes 101 titles (two of which are reissues of previous titles in the series), and ends in 1971 (as, apparently, did the company).

One of the aspects that distinguish French Line books is the quality of their cover art, which went through four distinct periods. Also of note, their stable of writers which included Carl Corley, Len Harrington, Vin Saxon/Jay Horn (Ron Haydock), Ed Wood, Jr. and Eve Linkletter.

All books (until a fourth shift in the direction of their cover art) featured the tagline, "The Finest In Adult Reading." and featured their distinctive 'Eiffel Tower' logo, which appeared in some form on a most of the imprint's titles.

While the bulk of the titles published under the French Line imprint are gay male-oriented, there are a number of lesbian titles sprinkled in the mix, as well as a single hetero-oriented novel. For continuities sake, I've included those titles here, as well.

I tracked down what covers I could. Unfortunately, there are holes in the company's history - either numbers skipped or titles lost to history. I was unable to identify even the title of several of their offerings.

Here are the next dozen covers in the series:

To Want A Boy

Author: Bert Shrader

PEC FL-25

This cover made me giggle the moment I set eyes upon it. And that title?

Turns out they are both a little misleading. According to a review I read, this book is about a 40 year-old trucker who is married to a woman and has three sons. One day, as he's watching his 13 year-old son pee (ick factor), he realizes he's gay. From there on, he engages in one sexual adventure after another. 

Author Bert Shrader is credited with ten titles in this genre, including A Gay Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum, which was chosen to be republished by Maitland McDonagh's 120 Days Imprint and is available as a Kindle download on Amazon.

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Gay Sadist

Author: Mark Dunn

PEC FL-26

I have never known what to make of this cover, but I feel very sorry for the young man being held down with his legs spread. Eeek. 

Strangely, this same thing happened to MOI at The Gay 90's in the late, late 1980's when I may have, in passing, made a flip remark about the shade of lipstick a certain Drag emcee (Ms. Ron) was wearing... you know, something like... "Yeah, you look exactly like Liza! In fact your lips are the exact shade of Liza's the day Liz Taylor came to visit her at Hazelden and she sucked those bags of coke out Liz's ass!"

Thank the stars for security guards!

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Queens Town Court

Author: R.G. Mayzk

PEC FL-27

Umm. Dat Queen wiff no shirt? Ooo. She look pizzed. And there's nothing like a Queen scorned. You just know she's gonna go all Judge Judy on her boy toy's azz, what with him making out with The Fonz.

The psudonym? R.G. (Real Good) Mayzk (Mask)? Just a guess. 

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Sky Eyes

Author: Carl Corley

Cover Art: Carl Corley

PEC FL-28

Another Carl Corley and available as an HTMLFlipbook at a site dedicated to his work. I will probably try to read this one, though I have some reservations. Books of this nature written during this time period had a tendency to be rather disrespectful of Native American culture. That might not be the case, here, but this does come from the days of The Rifleman, Bonanza, Gunsmoke and that sort of revisionist historical western mythology... so not holding my breath.

As for the cover art... I find many of Corley's designs for his own novels to have this odd fantasy vibe about them - almost airy-fairy, and I don't mean that in a gay sense, but in the sense of the fantastical - which, come to think of it? Why can't that be the same thing and still be considered wonderful?  How did airy-fairy come to be known as 'a bad thing?'

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Queer Hustler

Author: Ed Culver

PEC FL-29

A true queer hustler? One that would do the deed and not charge his clients. That? That would be very queer, indeed. 

I rather like the subtlety of this cover art. It's very classy and classic. 

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Live Bait

Author: Mark Dunn

PEC FL-30

From the Back Cover/Inner Page

Detective Brennan takes a cover as one of a white slave gang--and finds they're gay! He can't get out--HAS to go along; then he WANTS to!

Isn't that title font fun? I also like the perspective. Very "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me... aren't you?" As for 'the bait'? Hmm. Dude is either really, really tall, or rather tight in the scrote.

Now... a number of us have scrotes that crawl up (and sometimes in) just as we are about to cum. So? Maybe this is the moment right before the fireworks light up the sky?

Oh, but just think of that stain setting into the carpet! Tsk, tsk.

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Satin Chaps

Author: Carl Corley

Cover Art: Carl Corley

See what I mean about the fairytale aspect of Corley's artwork for his own covers? All very A Midsummer's Night Dream. I admire his use of color. It's unprecedented given the subject material (minus the gay aspect.) 

That said... I'd rather have velveteen chaps.

Here's the cover art minus text and logos.

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Gay Stud's Trip

Author: Bert Shrader

PEC FL-32

Now this cover is quite a departure from the brand. It makes me think that the days of Carl Corley's rather ornate work may soon become a thing of the past. It certainly is 'trippy', like a black light poster. Very nicely done. And one of the few where the title font is incorporated into the art work.

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Jesse

Author: Carl Corley

Cover Art: Carl Corley

PEC FL-33

Maybe Carl Corley got the memo? This is a bit of a departure from his former style. I love the energy the background lends the scene. Also, the lone figure, front and center? Effective. This is possibly my favorite cover of his...

Another cover sans text and logos. I would blow this up, frame and hang it in a hot second.

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Jock And Rock

Author: Len Harrington

PEC FL-34

Len Harington's name should be familiar to regular readers of this series of blog posts. He has 11 credits in the genre to his name, six of which were for PEC's French Line imprint. In the past, you've seen his work, here and here.

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Homo - House of Male Order

Author: Bert Shrader

PEC FL-35

I seriously need to get me a new television, because they have nothing on the home shopping network like this! This puts the 'male' back in 'mail order'. Okay... I just got the title. Seriously. It's taken me this long... H.O.M.O. - yeah... well, I spent a lot of my early childhood being driven around in old cars with carbon monoxide leaks... so? Whattya expect? (The kids a little slow.)

Anyhoo... that musculature? Well, what is our Texan man hunk made of? Taffy?

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Lesbian Orgies

Author: Eve Linkletter

PEC FL-36

Hmm... I wonder what this book is about? That title? Doesn't it strike you as a bit... vague?

Well, at least we end on a high note! Eve Linkletter!  We've touched on her work in the past, when we took a somewhat in depth look at her one of her titles for Vega/Saber/Fabian Books, The Gay Ones.  

You know? I simply adore that photo of 'her'. (If that is, indeed, her.)

Now, normally I would type out the back cover/inner cover text for you, but this seems easy enough to read...

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That's it for today. We have another 64 covers to take a look at, and then, perhaps, I'll have a book review of one of P.E.C.'s titles to share.

Leave your thoughts in the comments section, you know I love to hear from you. 

And, as always... thanks for reading.

Jesse - Carly Simon