Due to yet more scheduling issues, I must unfortunately postpone my book signing at The next Chapter Bookseller in Warsaw, Indiana, once again. I haven’t determined a new date, but it’ll most likely be the first Friday of April. My apologies for the inconvenience. I will keep you updated on new developments.
UPDATE: The book signing has been tentatively rescheduled for April 5, 2013. Stay tuned for more updates.
Wondering where episode 9 of “But I Digress…” is? It is finished. It was supposed to be posted yesterday. Truth be told, I did post it on YouTube, but only for five minutes. Why? There was no sound! So, I took it down.
I haven’t had the time to see if the video file was corrupted when it was encoded or if it’s YouTube’s fault (and by extension Paramount Studios since I used some Star Trek music in it. Some music producers are stringent with YouTube about people posting their music in videos).
That coupled with the horrid luck I’ve been having with getting a working laptop (long story), and I’m starting to wonder if technology is conspiring against me. Maybe Skynet (or whoever the future robot overlords are) knows I’m onto them! (Haha)
Regardless, I’ll do what I can to remedy these situations, God willing.
UPDATE (2-18-13): The video file still has sound. It was YouTube’s fault. I’ll upload it this weekend. Sorry I’ll be skipping a posting date. Think of it as a one-time hiatus. TV shows do it all the time.
Also, my new laptop seems to be behaving now (“seems” being the key word).
I’m sad to report, True Believers, that episode nine of “But I Digress…” will be delayed a few days, maybe a week. It’s not that I don’t want to make videos anymore. I just have my hands in several projects right now that require my attention and energies (such as Children of the Wells and Hope’s War). I promise you’ll enjoy all this new stuff. Just bear with me.
My next vlog will be part two of “The Nine Basic Plots.” It will include a humorous recap of the first four discussed in part one.
On a related note, this has made me reconsider how often I post new videos. Balancing writing, a part-time job, a social life, and making videos (and possibly grad school sometime in the future) is a daunting task for anyone. Whatever I decide to do, I’ll be sure to let you know.
In other news, I am happy to report that I have acquired two more titles with the online publication Examiner.com. Before, I wrote only about C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia , but now I also write about Star Trek and superheroes. If you know me, you’ll know all of those are some of my favorite subjects. Please check out my pages and subscribe to them! You see them here: Narnia, Star Trek, Superheroes. (Please bear with me since I have yet to post an article for my superhero page as of the date of this blog).
Great things are in store, True Believers!
A couple quick bits of news for you, True Believers.
First, I’ve unfortunately had to delay my next book signing. It will still be held at Next Chapter Bookseller in Warsaw, Indiana, but due to scheduling issues, it has been postponed until March 1. I promise I will be there, though.
In better news, I’ve discovered that my novel, Pandora’s Box, is now available on the Amazon Kindle! I don’t know when this happened (Hades Publications never informed me), but I’m very happy it is now an eBook. Click here to buy it.
A few weeks ago, I discovered a little used bookstore in Warsaw, Indiana, called the Next Chapter. I learned they host signings for authors, so I immediately scheduled a signing. But not only will I be there, my Destroyer and The Day After co-authors and friends Nick and Natasha Hayden will be there, too! (I’m going to try to get another one of my co-authors to come, but I haven’t talked to him yet). We’ll be selling and signing copies of those books as well as my novel, Pandora’s Box.
The signing will be part of the bookstore’s First Fridays event on February 1, 2013, from 5:30pm-7:30pm (or so). We’ll be selling our books at discounted prices. Don’t miss this opportunity to have Destroyer and The Day After signed by multiple authors!
Wondering where the first episode of “But I Digress…” is? Well, it’s been filmed, but editing it has been n exercise in thwarted plans.
At first, I was going to use the website www.WeVideo.com to edit it, but the video was too large an upload for it. I would still like to use the site in the future. It’s highly recommended and user-friendly. So, I’ve been trying to use my brother Josiah’s Abobe Premiere programs to edit it. However, trying to coordinate schedules so I can go over there and he can advise me on how to use the programs (and remember how to use them himself) has proven difficult. But I shall not give up, True Believers! It will get done, and soon. This all started because I filmed the video in HD for the highest possible quality and to maximize the entertainment and instructional value for you, my readers. I promise it will be worth the wait.
So tune in again, same bat-time, same bat-channel.
I realize I’m kinda breaking one of the rules I learned about digital publishing t a seminar at Gen-Con, but I want to apologize for not updating my website for a while. Life has kept me busy. I finished writing a novella that will be serialized on a webfiction website some writer friends and I are starting (more on that later), and I’ve started writing more regularly on Examiner. I may also post a new story on this site.
However, this post isn’t about any of those.
I mentioned that I was going to do a vlog (or video podcast or whatever people call it now) about what I learned about selling books at conventions. I fully intend to do that. In fact, I’d like to make the vlog a recurring feature of this website and my Youtube channel. It would be interactive and yet another way to get myself out there to promote my work and the works of others. Plus, it’d be fun. I learned about an online video editing program called WeVideo that would be perfect for this.
I plan to call the show “But I Digress…”. I’m going to film the first episode this week.
Stay tuned for more details. I don’t want to promise too much right now.
Day three at Gen-Con wasn’t quite as eventful for me. That’s not to say the convention had slowed down. Not at all! But since there was so much more going on, not as many people (surprisingly) were perusing the exhibitors’ hall.
My day started with me checking out the life-size Dalek the Who North America had on display. Then as I entered and walked by their booth (I arrived an hour before the hall opened), I had the privilege of meeting Nick Briggs, the producer of many Doctor Who audio dramas, but he’s most famous for providing the voice of the Daleks. I talked with him for a while and got a picture with him:
It’s a good thing I saw him when I did because I heard he was swamped later.
Next, I went back to the table of what looked to be a Christian ministry that reached out to the nerd/geek subculture, specifically gamers. It’s called GameChurch. I had seen their table the day before at closing time, so nobody was there. I talked with their rep, Rich Clark, for a while, learning more about their ministry. I also got a free “Jesus Loves Gamers” T-shirt and their tracts and business cards. I was very happy to see someone reaching out to a subculture the Christian church generally ignores or shuns. I learned by the end of the weekend that there are several others, but they have different niches. More on that in part four.
I spent most of the day selling books. I met some cool cosplayers while I was there. Not all of them bought books, but they were awesome nonetheless. My favorites were a young family. The dad was dressed as Captain America and his toddler son was Bucky! Check it out:
Cap is one of my favorite comic book characters, so I was excited to see them. The mom was wearing homemade fairy wings she made with green yarn and a coat hanger. (See the gallery when it’s posted).
Then there was this interesting character:
Where do I begin with her? For one thing, she jokingly said she was “God” since that was what her hat said. (I’ve sadly forgotten her name. If you see this, “God,” leave a comment and let me know your real name). She said her friends at the bar got it for her ten years ago. She oozed snide confidence. Regardless, she was cool and bought a copy of Pandora’s Box, as you can see.
I went to another Michael A. Stackpole seminar that afternoon. This one was called “21 Ways to Kill Your Novel.” Unfortunately, not only did I get to it late, Mr. Stackpole wasn’t able to list of 21 items before his hour was up. I did get notes on what I missed from a woman who sat next to me.
After killing some time photographing cosplayers and exploring, I went to the Westin Hotel for a TV writing seminar. I spent some time reading Trigun in the manga library. Then I attended a seminar called “Writing for Television,” which was taught by prolific screenwriter George Strayton. You may not recognize his name, but you’ll know his many credits, which include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xena: Warrior Princess, and the new Star Trek movie, among others. Not only did I learn how to break into the TV writing business, I got some…interesting inside info on some very popular creators and shows in Hollywood. It was great.
Afterward, I decided I’d go to Gen-Con’s film festival, which was being held at the Westin. So, I went to a screening of an Australian superhero comedy called The Justice Squad. I went into it not knowing what to expect—and was pleasantly surprised. It was hilarious! A documentary film crew follows Australia’s only superhero team as they prepare for comic book tryouts, which is the ultimate prize for a superhero. I would describe it as The Office with superheroes. I met the director, David Lawrance, afterward. He said the American audience laughed more than the Australian one did, so he was pleased. I asked him what his favorite comic book was, and he said it was Watchmen by Alan Moore (because you all wanted to know that). The film isn’t on DVD yet, but he hopes to make it available soon. Here’s a photo of us:
He also has ideas for a sequel. Here’s the film’s IMDB page (ignore the low ratings), Facebook page, and trailer.
I left the Westin, navigated the Indiana Convention Center, and went back to the parking garage. Once again, I learned why I hate the things. I got lost, spending 10-15 minutes (maybe longer) wandering around trying to find my car. It wasn’t worth the hassle, I decided.
So ended day three.
TO BE CONTINUED…
NEXT TIME IN GEN-CON, DAY 4—I CHAT WITH A DALEK!
I’m at table Z in the Authors’ Avenue in the Exhibitor’s Hall. Come buy a copy of my military sci-fi novel, “Pandora’s Box”!
I’ve received my table assignment for Gen-Con’s Authors’ Avenue. As you can see above, I’ll be at Table Z. I’ll be selling and signing copies of Pandora’s Box, Destroyer, and The Day After. Gen-Con is August 16-19 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Author’s Avenue is open each day of the convention from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
You can learn more about Authors’ Avenue here.
Stop over and pick up copies of my books for yourself or a friend! (Ah, heck, buy some for your enemies, too. They need good reads as much as anyone).