Dipping my toe in the pool...

Last night I decided to give it a try. After hearing about how easy it is to publish for Kindle, I formatted a story, created a simple, but effective cover image (at least, I think it is), and put myself out there.

It's a story of Orc space pirates, written as a science-fantasy homage to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. I rather love the story, and I have a sequel plotted out and started, and a third part in "idea" form.

Because it's such a mash-up of about three different genres, I felt it would probably have a hard time finding an established venue. So, self-publishing seemed the best bet. If you're interested in reading it, here is the link.

Also, there are other eVenues to publish. If there is interest in non-Kindle formats, I would be open to going there as well. Like I said, this is my first foray, so I'm still learning as I go.

I have to admit, this has me all kinds of excited!

I need to rant a bit.

So, this morning I made the mistake of expressing an opinion related to movies (which, apparently, is an open invitation for others to come pat me on the head and “correct” my thinking). Basically, it had to do with the fact that I am so irritated with Disney’s shitty marketing of John Carter, compared to the over-saturation of Hunger Games, that now I can’t help but feel irritated and resentful towards the “Post-Apocalypse Teens-murdering-Teens” epic that HG is (mind you, this is from the promos only, as I have not seen the movie, nor read the books).

I should point out that my ire comes strictly from the comparative marketing of each film, and is completely unrelated to the individual or comparative quality of the films on any level. I’m sure, based on reviews and fan opinions, that it’s safe to say that they are both wonderfully (and possibly equally) entertaining films, each for their own merits, and comparing their overall qualities is an apples/oranges situation.

Anyways, one thing has become glaringly clear with the case of these two films: Opening Weekend box-office numbers have NOTHING to do with a film’s quality. It has EVERYTHING to do with marketing, brand recognition, and word of mouth. And it’s surprising (and a little disconcerting) how many intelligent people out there just don’t get this absolute truth.

Arguments have been made that John Carter was simply unknown to the greater movie-going populace, and that no one knew who this innocuously-named character really was. Ok, I can agree with that to an extent. But, the movie is based on a book that was published, literally, a hundred years ago (1912), has been in near continuous print ever since, and is currently in the public domain and free to read for anyone with any kind of e-reader. Not to mention that A Princess of Mars (the original book’s title, more ranting on that in a moment) is a direct ancestor to nearly every epic space adventure we hold dear. Star Wars, Avatar, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon…the list goes on and on. None of them would even exist without John Carter. So, you can’t tell me that the source material is in any way “obscure.”

Compare that to Hunger Games. The first book in the series came out in 2009. It’s barely three years old. Frankly, before the film was announced, I had never even heard of it. And without the movie, I likely never would have. From the outside, it doesn’t seem terribly original. We’ve seen this type of story a dozen times in film and books. But, that doesn’t necessarily detract from the experience (see my rant about Real Steel a while back). The point is, it’s not ground-breaking. It’s nothing really “new” so much as “repackaged.” And maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe this old story-type finally gets told right. Like I said, I have yet to see the film, so I don’t know.

So, from a pop-culture standpoint, I’d say that both films were on equal footing. John Carter has it’s loyal fanbase of sci-fi and literary geeks, and Hunger Games has a more-or-less equal-sized fanbase of modern readers of YA fiction. Fair enough.

The differences lay in the promotion. With John Carter, there were SO many ways it could have been promoted. Where was the mention of who Edgar Rice Burroughs was (you know, that guy who created Tarzan)? Where was the mention of the fact that it is based on a book that created a new and enduring sub-genre (Planetary Romance)? Where is the toy line? The John Carter Video Game? The Barsoom MMO? Ok, maybe I’m reaching with that one, but you get my point. Instead we get some idiot in marketing who removes “of Mars” from the original title for the film because “statistically speaking, no movie with the word ‘Mars’ in it ever succeeded.” That’s the dumbest crock of shit I have ever heard. I can understand not using “A Princess of Mars” considering it’s a Disney film. But come on, I can’t count the number of people who asked “Noah Wiley’s character from ER is getting a movie?” Stupid, stupid, stupid. Add to that the fact that critics were panning it weeks before it had even been pre-screened. It’s like someone WANTED the movie to fail. Ever see The Producers?

Yet Hunger Games gets a Facebook game, endless trailers, and positive promotion from EVERYONE with a blog or a weekly entertainment article. The media and the Internet is just dripping with Hunger Games praise. You can’t swing a bag of popcorn without hitting something that says Hunger Games on it.

I dunno. Maybe, as I was told earlier, I’m just bitter because me and my ilk (sci-fi/fantasy geeks) get constantly burned by Hollywood, one way or the other. Usually it’s in the form of crappy product (Conan), but this time the product is awesome by nearly ALL accounts. So they decide to screw us with marketing and underpromotion instead. We can’t win.

All that being said, I steadfastly refuse to see Hunger Games until I have seen John Carter (of Mars). Roll your eyes and snicker condescendingly if you like. I give less than a pile of Woola's shit.

Life in general

Good morning, folks! *sips coffee*

It's been a while, so I figured I would chat up a little bit here about what's going on.  First off, I just had a nice vacation.  My beautiful wife, Michele, and I drove down from Wisconsin to visit Scott Oden and his lovely wife, Shannon, in Alabama.  We left last Wednesday and came back this past Monday.  The drive down was a bit rough (hitting Nashville at rush hour SUCKED!), but the stay was fun.  We just sort of hung out, and I got to know a friend I have had for a few years, but only ever knew online.  There will most likely be future trips, one way or the other.

One of the coolest things was chatting about history, and writing about history with Scott.  The conversations were fun and exciting, and got me pretty fired up about it all.  So much so, that I am focusing on writing my historical novel again.  The one about Agesilaus, the "Lame King of Sparta."  But now I am approaching it more methodically.  I've written the opening scenes, and I like them.  But, before I get too far, I am going to work up a good synopsis, and take copious notes.  I am looking at it kind of as if it were a research project.  So, I think I may actually make some good progress in short order.

We were supposed to go see John Carter (Warlord of Mars, dammit!) this past weekend, but we just weren't able to.  I really want to see that film.  And I am so angry at Disney for dropping the ball on it.  All of the news outlets are reporting that it's a bomb, and it's not even been out three weeks yet!  There are conspiracy theories abound about this film's apparent failure, but I have to say, it almost seems intentional.  Especially when you consider the number of positive reviews that came out, you know, AFTER people saw it.

All that aside, I'd like to close with a bit of a plea for some friends.  Scott Oden is going through some rough times right now.  I'm not going into details, because it's not my place.  Suffice it to say he could use some prayers and good vibes right now.

Also, some of you may know Charles Gramlich (if you don't, you NEED to hit Amazon and get some of his writing, he's pretty dang brilliant).  His wife, Lana, was recently diagnosed with cancer, and they are in the process of getting that treated.  He posted a blog about it yesterday.  Prayers and good wishes need to be sent to them as well.

Sometimes, I want to scream because I just can't do much to help my friends.  But, what I can do is keep them in my thoughts and prayers, and hope for the best for them.  So, that's what I do.

Talk to you later!

Super Conception

Once upon a time, in the vast, fertile fields of my imagination (at least, that's how I imagine it), there were two Role Playing Games. One was an old, worn out, somewhat dated game, who, despite his age and mechanical problems, still held a lot of charm and character for me. His name was Marvel Super Heroes. The other was a bit younger, but still no spring chicken. Yet she held a slick beauty that made her very "flexible" and able to handle many situations. Her name was Storyteller.

One day, these two systems met, and it was a match made in...well, in my imagination. And the rest, as they don't say (but should) is the future.

What does all that mean? It means I am going to re-invent the old Marvel Super Heroes RPG from TSR, by merging some concepts from White Wolf's Storyteller System. Basically, instead of rolling percentage dice on a chart, you will be rolling handfuls of d10's and looking for successes (ie.: 7 or better).

I think I will call it "Marvelous Stories."

Why bother? Because I like the concept of FASERIP. I like the idea of stats being denoted, not just with a bland number, but with a description word that has some zing to it. I like the look and feel of the old MSH game, and would like to see it updated with something that is easier to grasp. Plus, I'm bored.

I also don't have the money or the gaming group to go out and buy the next big Supers RPG. And besides, I have always liked screwing around with what other people invent, as far as RPG's go. And this effort costs me nothing but spare time, and I can ditch it whenever I want. Because that's what I do.

In other news...

Vacation this week! Woohoo! Road trip with the wife.

Friday!

Just thought I would wrap the week up with a general post of good feelings.

Yesterday was quite surprisingly cool.  And not just the temperature outside.  After getting phlebotomized, I found I had about an hour to kill before picking up my son.  Not enough to go back to the office for any appreciable reason.  So, I did what comes naturally, and hit up Half Price Books.  After about a half-hour of wandering and debating on some purchases (do I really need a 2nd Ed. copy of Changeling: The Dreaming?  Even if it's only $8?), I had decided I probably wasn't going to buy anything.  So, as is my wont, I made my way to the door via the Men's Adventure section, just to see what they had.  I was a little surprised to see that all of the older issues of The Executioner were gone from the shelf.  Then I looked up.

On top of the shelf were three large book bundles of Executioners.  Now, in the past, this store would wrap 8-10 books in plastic and sell the bundle for $3.  I never bought one, but always thought about it.  (I later found out that these bundles, if they don't sell after a while, are simply thrown in the trash.  I almost cried.)  Anyways, the three bundles I was looking at included The Executioner #'s 1-29, 30-55, and 56-87 respectively.  And each was priced at $5.  I immediately texted my wife and made sure $15 was ok for me blow, and she said "Go for it!"  So, for just under $16, I walked out with the first 87 Executioners.  SCORE!

When I got home, I started thinking about these books, and remembered that I had recently got a copy of the very first Executioner I had ever read, #59, Crude Kill.  And I had an idea.  I checked macbolan.com, and found the author of Crude Kill was Chet Cunningham.  A quick Google search found his website, and through that I emailed him and asked what it would take to get an autograph on my copy of the book.  He responded this morning, saying all I had to do was mail the book to him (in San Diego), and he would gladly autograph it and send it back.  How cool is that?

So, yeah, I'm pretty happy Mack Bolan geek today.

Tonight is the continuation of our D&D game, and I am really looking forward to that.  Next week, the wife and I hit the road for our first Mommy & Daddy vacation.  We're driving down to Alabama to hang out with Scott Oden and his wife Shannon.  I'm really looking forward to meeting them, and seeing the area.  And I'm really looking forward to getting away on a long road trip with my wife.  Just me and her in a car.  No whiny children, no dealing with the stresses of having a family.

I love being a dad, and I know I will miss my kids.  But, sometimes, parents need a break too.

Anyways, have a good weekend, folks!

Another "The End"

Finished the Orc story today.  It's in my wife, Michele's hands for a read-thru.  She's good at pointing out the obvious stuff that, as the author, I am too close to the story to see is missing.  Depending on when she gets done, I hope to send it off for Scott Oden to tear apart within the week.

So, do all writers write "The End" at the end of every manuscript?  Is this just a standard way of showing that your narrative is over, and that what the reader is reading is the "final" product?

So, what to work on next?  I have the S&P story, which really doesn't have a final destination in mind.  Nor is the complete plot worked out.  Then there's the thinly veiled pseudo-pastiche (as in the names have been changed to protect myself from legal action) about Prince Conn, King Conan's son, as created by L. Sprague DeCamp.  I also have the straight up S&S novella with my own "barbarian warrior" to fit into a story that might have seen print in the 70's, alongside the likes of Gardner F. Fox and Lin Carter.

Of course, I still have to do a paper by next week on the Battle of Mantinea.  Yeah, I should probably focus on that.  It's not a big one, and it has no official word-count requirements.  But, it will take some effort, and I should really dig into it.

Yeah, that's what I will do.  Homework.  Time enough for more fiction later.

Boxing Stories

I have long been somewhat of a boxing fan. I’m nowhere near an aficionado, nor can I quote stats and records. But, I know the big names, some of the more renown rivalries, and have watched a lot of good (as well as a lot of not-so-good) bouts on TV and PPV. Basically, I’m a fan. Not a fanatic, just a fan.

I’m also a huge fan of boxing movies. The ‘Sweet Science’ has always been a great backdrop for human drama. I mean, who doesn’t find themselves shouting “ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY!” when they watch those films? And even films based on true events can be very dramatic and enjoyable. Cinderella Man, for instance, has more heart and guts than a lot of other dramas.

So, it would stand to reason that since I like boxing, and boxing films, than I would like boxing fiction, right? Well, up until about six or seven years ago, I had never read any. And up until just recently, the only boxing fiction I had read was the tales of Sailor Steve Costigan, by Robert E. Howard. And you know what? Nothing wrong with that. The Costigan stories are quite spectacular, and Steve is probably my second-favorite REH character, next to Conan himself.

About a month ago, I got on a kick. I wanted to find some other fight fiction from the Pulp days. So, I did some searches, but really couldn’t find anything in the public domain (finances being what they are). Then, on Amazon, I stumbled across the Fight Card books. At the time, the first two were free, so I grabbed them. And I absolutely DO NOT regret that.

The Fight Card stories are written under the pseudonym of Jack Tunny, but are the brainchild and product of Mel Odom, who wrote The Cut Man, and Paul Bishop, who wrote Felony Fists. These two are related in that they each tell the stories of two brothers who grew up as orphans, but whose lives diverged. A third book, Split Decision by Eric Beetner, has also been published, but I’m not sure of the relation, if any, to the other two yet.  As of this writing, they are all three available as free Kindles.

The Fight Card books are independent stories, and can be read in any order. I started with The Cut Man, mainly because it evoked a lot of the feel and imagery of the Costigan stories. The main character, Mick Flynn, is a crewman on Merchant marine ship in the mid-1950’s. The story takes place in Havana, Cuba, and involves not only boxing, but gangsters, grifting, and a little romance. Told in first person, it’s laced with some easy language, a bit of technical jargon, and is set at an easy, breezy pace. Though I got it for free, I would have gladly paid the $2.99 tag.

After I finished The Cut Man, I dug right into Felony Fists. This one is a detective noir story, set in LA during the same period. It centers around Patrick, Mick’s younger brother, who is a cop with a penchant for taking no guff from criminals. It gets him a promotion, as well as the unwanted attention of the gangster who took over Bugsy Siegel’s operations when he died. So far, it’s really good, and I’m only a few chapters in.

All in all, I highly recommend these to anyone who is into old-fashioned pulpy goodness.