Introducing Premium Pulp Fiction: A New Indie Imprint Launches with Ghost Emperor, a Bold Reimagining of Ancient History

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss., Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Premium Pulp Fiction, a new boutique imprint founded by author and narrative architect Douglas Stuart McDaniel, today announced the release of its flagship novel, Ghost Emperor, now available in paperback and Kindle editions worldwide.

A Tennessee native based in Barcelona, McDaniel brings American storytelling sensibility to ancient history, blending global research with narrative instincts he honed in the South.

Early praise is building. Olivier Pron—concept artist for Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, and Jupiter Ascending—called Ghost Emperor "a force… forensic, poetic, and relentless in the best way," urging readers to "grab a copy while it's fresh."

Cinematic in scope and grounded in deep research, Ghost Emperor opens in Babylon, 323 BCE, in the turbulent days after the death of Alexander the Great. As generals splinter into rival factions, McDaniel brings to life the overlooked Wars of the Diadochi and Arabian campaigns that took him through years of research across Wadi Rum, the Nabataean world, and the early Hellenistic Middle East.

"Everyone writes about Alexander the Great," McDaniel says. "But almost no one writes about the aftermath—betrayals, desert campaigns, and forgotten battles that shaped the modern world."

The release marks the debut of Premium Pulp Fiction, an imprint reviving the craft and energy of classic pulp—fast-moving stories built with atmosphere and precision. McDaniel's pulp lineage runs deep: his great-uncle, illustrator John Alan Maxwell, produced work for Steinbeck, Aldous Huxley, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Pearl S. Buck. Premium Pulp Fiction continues that legacy with a modern edge, championing fiction that moves at full velocity without sacrificing depth.

Over the next year, Premium Pulp Fiction will roll out additional titles across historical fiction, Southern Gothic, science fiction, and speculative thrillers. The next major release, Defiance: A Reckoning with the Dream, arrives January 2026.

The Ghost Emperor audiobook—narrated by McDaniel—is slated for December.

About Douglas Stuart McDaniel 
Douglas Stuart McDaniel is an author, narrative architect, and urbanist whose work spans global megaprojects, Hollywood worldbuilding collaborations, and cross-genre fiction. He is the creator of the Premium Pulp Fiction imprint and the Citizen One podcast.

About Premium Pulp Fiction 
Premium Pulp Fiction is an independent publisher dedicated to bold, intelligent genre fiction across history, speculative worlds, and Southern Gothic storytelling. Learn more at citizenone.world

SOURCE Premium Pulp Fiction