Sunday, January 31, 2016

Laughter Around the Room

It's too warm here on the eastern edge of the west. Too warm for January. Too warm for our own good. It sounds weird to say "where's Winter?" when it's 40*-50*F but - where the hell is Winter?

You know how there are scenes in movies and TV shows where someone says something serious, really serious, and the rest of the characters all start laughing? Or when the villain chuckles and all his henchmen laugh along with him? Sure, you've seen those bits. You know what I'm talking about.

No one's laughed yet after I announced my publishing plan last week. Now I'm more than a little nervous. If no one's laughing, am I on the right path? Are my friends too polite to laugh? Or are they laughing into their hands behind my back?  I guess it's possible that they just didn't notice. What I've heard from the few who've said something is good luck. I hope that means it's a decent plan.

Of course the writer wants to know if all is well, wants the reassurance that the work is good. It's the paranoid part of us. Of me, anyway. Damn it, it's all circular. All I can do is my best. I'm going through the book again and yeah, it's the best I can make it until I get notes back from my editor. I suppose I'll be fretting about this until the book goes out to you all.

I promise, PROMISE not to tinker with it once it's out in the wild. I will not be like George Lucas.

-| | |-

I'm currently reading Nnedi Okorafor's Book of Phoenix. From the first page it's engrossing and takes me out of my world into the rich story of Phoenix, a speciMen. She was grown two years ago and appears to be about forty. Fantastic start and rolls along at high speed. Worth your time.

I'm also researching food halls. And how millennials and Generation X get along for my day job. Because it's unlikely I will ever be a full-time writer. I mean, I hope and dream of that but one must maintain a home, transportation and be able to buy food to put on the table as well as keep insurance. I love all those things so my goal is to write one novel a year for the foreseeable future. And maybe a couple of short stories. It's possible it might go more the writer way than the day job but until then...

-| | |-

Once upon a time I was an artist. I wanted to draw comics more than anything because of Neal Adams and Jim Aparo and John Byrne and Sal Buscema and John Buscema and so many, many more greats. I got to tell Neal Adams that once and I shook John Buscema's hand and thanked him for his comics. Back in the late 90s and early 00s I made comics for a spell. Drew quite a few pages and made progress but I quickly learned I was a better writer than I was an artist.

Anyway, I write that to mention that I've been doodling a lot lately. It helps me focus and may result in some decent ideas for things in the future. I may share a few of them over on my Instagram. Trying to take more pictures but it's not in my nature. Look for 'em over there rather than here if you're so inclined.

-| | |-

Finally, I'll be appearing at Empower ComicCon on a couple of panels about writing and publishing, I think. I may wander the floor a bit to get a feel for the show.

We are a minority based Comic Con centrally located in Topeka Kansas  

The Empower ComicCon, is what it exactly sounds like. We want to Empower you, to be you. It is strange to how something so simple, could be so difficult to implement. Here in Capital City with all our negative press we need to stand up and support each other, and Yes it is that simple! 

Ours in a place to love not judge....

So I'm excited to be involved. I'm going in with my eyes and mind open to a wonderful experience. As things get firmed up I'll post here. In the meantime when someone starts laughing at something someone else said, will you laugh along?

Thanks for reading. Glad you're here.