Canister X – A.P. Fuchs: Zombie, Paranormal Romance and Superhero Novelist, Blogger, Artist, Publisher

Getting ready for C4 Lit Fest this weekend where I’m one of the guest writers. Really looking forward to it as it’s been a long, long time since I spent a concentrated amount of time with other writerly types. (Yes, I know, that last bit sounded pretentious.) Was thinking maybe I should wearing a turtleneck, indoor scarf and blazer with elbow patches to look the part just like Michael Douglas did in Wonder Boys? Don’t even know who started that ridiculous writer’s wardrobe, but I’ve seen it in real life and, well, like Gob Bluth says, “Aw, come on!” I should just go in a robe and toque like Douglas also did in Wonder Boys and see how many heads I turn.

Anyway . . . I’m preparing my workshops for the weekend and thought I’d pop in here to say so.

Topics I’ll be covering include:

- writing as a full time job
- Plotting vs Pantsing (co-panel)
- self-pubbed vs indie vs traditional (co-panel)
- 10 things authors have little to no control over (co-panel)

If you can’t come down to the show, I hope to include these in my upcoming how-to book, Getting Down and Digital: How to Self-publish Your Book, as bonus material. While I realize there are quite a few how to self-publish books out there, non save a couple are comprehensive, so that’s where mine will differ. I’m dumping nine years of self-publishing experience into this baby so you can learn how to do it without screwing up like I did and without getting inundated with all the hype surrounding self-publishing now. It’s better to have a single go-to source than seven books that are basically the same.

But if you are in Winnipeg this weekend, come down to the Place Louis Riel Hotel and join us for a weekend of books and words.

Last night I took part in an interview at The New Dragon Talk, which is a video version of its predecessor, Dragon Talk Radio (of which I was on a couple years back). Hosted by Jon Klement, it was a great time and we talked about comics, superheroes, Bigfoot, zombies, writing, publishing, Canadian comic cons, and more. I also disclosed my number one piece of publishing advice for anyone looking to find success in this biz and, it seems, one that’s often overlooked.

The recorded video is embedded below. Please take a moment to check it out, or push play and let it air in the background as you go about your Web surfing.

Thanks.

Spent the past while transferring over all the self-publishing, publishing and writing-related info from this site over to a new one to keep it all together/niche market it. It’s called How to Self-publish Books and Comics the Right Way: The Rantings and Ravings of a Veteran Self-publisher.

The site, a work-in-progress by it’s very nature, was set up because having been a do-it-yourselfer for so, so long, it bothers me that there’s a ton of misinformation about self-publishing floating around and writers are finding themselves trapped, confused, scared . . . well, you get the idea.

It’s time to set the record straight and so a new website is born.

I’ll post a link on this site when a new article goes up over there to keep you updated.

If you know of anyone who would benefit from How to Self-publish Books and Comics the Right Way, please send them over there and have them bookmark it. It is, and is going to be, a valuable resource, especially in this day and age when the information about publishing your own work can be so confusing.

Thanks. God bless.

This year started off with good intentions, but I got derailed when I went through a massive burnt out and some health trouble so my output wasn’t quite what I wanted. However, I’m gaining swift ground on things I set out to do and want to update you on these things. So . . .
Axiom-man: City of Ruin – Done. Edited by the editor. I have still go through his edits and do one more draft my own and give it to my wife as first reader before press, but that’s going to have to wait until next week because I’m plowing through . . .
Redemption of the Dead (Undead World Trilogy, Book 3) – Readers have been asking for this for a while and I hate telling them–especially in person at conventions–that it’s not done. So, I’m doing a major crazy write-a-thon this week to get it done as outlined here. Still have to talk to my editor about a quick turn around, but don’t tell him for me. I want it to be a surprise. Uh, yeah. (And if you’re reading this Mr. Editor, Surprise!)
Axiom-man No. 3 – It’s started to air on the website. Still dropping in some gray tones on the rest of the issue but that won’t take long. Will be off to press on it probably late next week, all in time for an end-of-the-month release and get copies out to subscribers.
Canister X Comix No. 4 – Written, planned, and barely started in the drawing department. Since this minicomic is more for-the-love right now than anything, it’ll have to wait until the above is done. To find out more about Canister X Comix, please go here.
Zomtropolis: The free zombie love story serial here on this blog that’s been running for a couple years or so. I have a new installment written but not posted. After the paying projects above are done, I’m going to finish this up and then upload it for auto-updating so readers get the rest of the story on time every Friday like before. Then that book will enter rewrite phase, editing phase, production, etc. for a new edition to be released next year in paperback and eBook.
If you want to know what life over here feels like right now, watch this as I pretty much feel like these guys (this show, by the way, is my new reality TV favorite).

For now. I use this space 99% of the time when writing a new book and this week is all about writing. I’m still oh so behind on projects and not for lack of working. I’ve been very busy, and anyone in this biz will tell you that the production side of a project–not so much the creation–takes a long while as you spit shine it and put on its dancing shoes. That said, I’m eons behind finishing Redemption of the Dead. Between City of Ruin and the digital side of Axiom-man No. 3, and some Coscom Entertainment projects, it fell by the wayside. The crazy part is, I have about 16 days to finish it, edit it, have my editor edit it, produce it and go to press if there’s any hope of making copies available for C4 Comic Con this year. And I have to have them there as C4 is important to my family’s financial stability.
That said, yeah, I got to knock out about 12,000 words a day if there’s a chance, so that’s why I’ve switched offices and went to the one where I’m most comfortable. Cool part is, working like this rarely makes me sleepy, so I know I’m going to produce.
Where’s your favorite place to make something?
Let’s do this. Say a prayer for me.

Last night close to 11pm, I finished the first draft of the third full-length Axiom-man novel, City of Ruin. This now brings his book total to five. First draft clocked in at approx. 61,000 words. I started getting back into it on August 16 and maybe put in around 3,000 words over the following three days, so last Monday, when I decided to get hardcore into it and finish the thing, the amount of work already done on the book was around 15-16,000 words, which means that since last Monday to last night–with last Tuesday and Sunday off–I was able to pull off roughly 45,000 words in 5 days. Not bad. My math could be slightly off, but it’s over 40,000 for sure.

Anyway, the point is, this is the shortest amount of time I’ve taken to write a book, the runner-up now being April under my pseudonym Peter Fox. If memory serves, I did that book in about a week back in 2002. I think A Red Dark Night is the next shortest. 2 weeks to write that one sounds about right.

Doesn’t matter. It’s not about speed and at no time over the past week did I go, “Okay, I have to write so I’ll just writing something because I have to write something.” Instead, I was fully immersed in the story, lost in Axiom-man’s world of Good vs Evil and superpowers. Inspired by Brian Keene and Carlton Mellick III in terms of just going hardcore and banging the book out, I got the job done without sacrificing quality. All that’s left to do is drafts 2 and 3 then the book goes off to my editor for stuff I missed.

Besides, I read in an issue in Alan Moore’s Dodgem Logic that back in the pulp age of fiction, it was not uncommon for writers to pound out a 40,000-word book in a week to keep up with a crazy publishing schedule of getting stories to readers frequently.

I’m taking today off in terms of writing and am handling business duties. Tomorrow I go head first into finishing Redemption of the Dead, which I believe sits at around 3-4,000 words at the moment. It’ll be 75-80,000 when done. I have about two weeks to crank that one out, or 12 days as I don’t work Sundays.

Let the madness continue!

I love smoking. I really do. Been at it for about 13 or 14 years save for one year a few years back where I was clean for about 12 months. If it were up to me, I’d keep smoking, but for health reasons and for Christian witness purposes, I got to trash the habit. Likewise, my wallet will thank me when all is said and done anyway, which then leaves more money for comics.

Writing and smoking go hand-in-hand over here. When writing a book, I go outside with my coffee, have a smoke and think about the next scene, then I come in and write down what I saw in my head. It’s been like that for pretty much every book I’ve done, some of my comics, some of my short stories, even some of my poetry. To change all that up is a big deal, not that I’m afraid of change, but the way I went about my writing routine is special to me because it’s a system that harkens back about 12 years ago where I had no one but me to rely on. No love, no friends, no family. There was a lot of unnecessary-and-not-always-my-fault drama that happened around then, but when I had nothing, I was able to drink a coffee, have a smoke and write down some words. I had something.

During that one year a few years back where I quit, I was so busy with other stuff that I didn’t have much time for my own material so the writing-and-smoking partnership wasn’t quite needed. Now, with writing and creating being a full time gig, I have less things to do but more time to work thus more time to try and not think about smoking as we move forward.

So I’m wearing the patch, the Step 2 one because I smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day. I used to smoke a pack every two-to-two-and-a-half days, but with my kids getting older, I’ve cut back so they don’t see me being a bad example as often.

Just had my last cigarette while giving my mom her daily call. (My choice.) Put on the patch and am ensuring the placebo effect doesn’t do the work the patch is supposed to do. See, I’m ultra tolerant against medication. Most stuff off the shelf might as well be tic tacs. If I have a headache, I’m popping four or five extra strength painkillers just to take the edge off never mind get rid of the pain. Muscle relaxants? Might as well be Fishermen’s Friend mints. Even during my surgery to get my wisdom teeth out, I woke up and they had to crank up the morphine and Valium to higher the normal dose because what was supposed to keep me under didn’t do it. When I was recovering, the high-end pain meds they gave me did nothing and my dad had to go to the ER and get the stuff they give cancer patients which is normally kept under lock-and-key.

I hope this patch can bypass my natural immunity to medication and take the smoking cravings away otherwise I’m going to have to double-up or something.

Anyway, going to check back here over the next few weeks with thoughts and feelings while I try and stop the habit. With finishing up the new Axiom-man novel today (hopefully) and having to crank out another full-lengther in less than two weeks, to not smoke is like saying, “Here, take this pen and write your story in Jell-O then hand it in when you’re done.”

Say a prayer for me.

I’m nearly 30,000 words in to the new Axiom-man novel, which means I’m almost halfway done as I see this book being about as long as the first one. My mission is to do about 4,000 words a day on it so I can ensure it’s done for C4 this year, which is the first weekend of November. Readers have been asking year after year for a new Axiom-man book, the last being in 2008, which was a pathetically long time ago. Anyway, you will get your wish and City of Ruin will be ready. You’ll also really enjoy it, I think, as the storyline heads in a new direction and a new secret villain is introduced.

I’m also finishing up my Undead World Trilogy simultaneously with the third book titled–as of now–Redemption of the Dead. This is also aimed at being written at 4,000 words a day and will be 75-80,000 words when done and, hopefully, ready to debut at C4 this year as well.

I’m behind in writing all this because of my burn out earlier this year, publishing company duties and a venture into comics. Regardless, and as personally stretching at it is, working like a dog on these two books at the same time–the first time I’ve ever done that–is proving to be very healthy for my own mental well-being. I need to dive into complete and utter fantasy where that’s my whole reality every now and then to help keep my brain from going into overdrive with story ideas. All I’m living right now is superheroes and zombies, angels and demons. But if all stays on track, the crazy workload will alleviate in about a week as City of Ruin will be done–first draft, anyway–and then I can pound out the rest of Redemption of the Dead and just focus on finishing that. After that, then the books hit the editing phase, etc.

These books are important to my readers so I want them to be happy. They are also important to my family’s well-being as C4 is a big weekend for us on a success level and the proceeds from that helps keep my family afloat for a month or two following.

If you’d like to get caught up on both The Axiom-man Saga and the Undead World Trilogy, there are links on either side of this column for both eBook and paperback editions of each. Thank you in advance for your support and for helping me provide for my family. God bless.

July 10, 2006

Dear Dave:

Taking a breather and a step back, in short, yeah, there are different issues in society that do fluctuate (like your Canada in Afghanistan example) and those which do not (like abortion). We’re faced with something that no matter what you choose (i.e. what “rule” is passed), someone is going to be unhappy. Ah, the wonderful world of politics. If I read your reply correctly, a summary would be to basically reach a compromise of some sort amongst the masses on 50-50 issues. It may not float everyone’s boat but it’s the best we got and all other alternatives are substandard in that regard. The only thing I can think of to say is that a compromise would be a “best case” scenario or an ideal. My only concern (or anybody’s concern, for that matter) would then be to ask if the “compromise” is the right decision (meaning was it truly right in the purest sense of the word or was it either not-right but something else, or absolutely wrong). And I think that’s the real issue when dealing with such sticky subjects. The old saying of, “What I think is right is not necessarily what you think is right” and vice versa, comes to mind. And that’s what I meant right from the get-go about the “fluff” of society, or the gray stuff as we’ve been calling it. Either something is white (right) or something is gray (not-right) or black (wrong), but either way, the latter two aren’t white. It’s basically the quest for truth in the end on how things really and truly are, what things are really and truly right, and what things are really and truly wrong. So then the shift/goal would be to ask how we can discover what is the right course of action and what is the wrong one. And answering that is a huge topic on its own, depending if you’re talking to a “religious” person or a “secular” person. And even if we did present a way that proved “this is right” or “this is wrong,” it’s still up to that individual to accept it or not. The only danger in a person not accepting a proven point would be them putting themselves in a position of denial and/or self-delusion on how things really are. Either something is or it isn’t. It can’t be both.

Thanks for answering the question on your decision to self-publish. I’m of the same mind in that I’d rather get my stuff out there than have it sit in a drawer or make its way through the mail from one publication to another on submission. And by getting it done on my own, it’s opened up doors for me that wouldn’t have been opened had I played the “traditional” writer’s game of writing, submitting, waiting, writing, submitting, waiting, and so forth.

Sincerely,

Dear Dave:

I apologize for my delay in answering your letter dated Dec. 31, 2005. January has been a very busy month for me both personally and professionally. I’m also susceptible to migraines and have had a couple this month. If you’ve ever had one, you know they can cripple you if not caught in time.

To clarify my previous point on a flat-rate-per-unit when it comes to a POD book, that flat rate varies from project to project based on that book’s page-length (i.e. some POD books are the previously mentioned $3-something per copy, others are $4-something, etc., all based on final page count). I won’t pretend to know the ins and outs of printing and printing technologies, but I assume POD books, once setup with a POD printer, are sold to the publisher at a flat rate per unit because the publisher can order any number of quantities at any one time, 1 or 1000 or even a weird number like 431. In offset, as you know, the more paper used and the more ink used, the cheaper it is per “part” as a whole hence the ability to lower the final per unit cost of the printed product (usually ordered in blocks of 500, if I understand offset correctly). I wouldn’t necessarily say POD’s flat-rate-per-unit is a “computer thing” though, unless I misinterpreted your meaning. Or if “computer thing” was meant as a reference to POD technology, which is basically computer-based because all it really is, is a computer hooked up to a giant photocopier, then I understood your meaning. Ah, the joys of letter of correspondence.

Likewise I feel I should clarify the statement that POD books are usually not edited. This is the result of—as mentioned in my previous letter—subsidy/vanity POD outfits accepting any material under the sun regardless of literary quality. If the manuscript is riddled with errors, who cares so long as you have the money to pay them to set it up in their system for you. Sad but true. It could be the greatest story in the universe, but if every sentence starts with a lowercase letter, hey, you got the money? Great! We’ll print it.

Interpretation writing. Ha ha! More like nowadays it’s “interpretation living” for the most part given our politically correct society based on, as you mentioned, “You know what I mean.” The absence of clarity in our country (and throughout the world) astounds me daily and I feel a swell of pity for us as a race because (as mentioned in my first letter to you), our concept of black and white, right and wrong, yes and no—has gone the way of the dodo. It will also lead to our eventual undoing because if history is any indicator, any time a society has let itself go soft on what is and what isn’t correct/right/proper/fill-in-the-blank, it eats itself from within and falls. If you’ve noticed, more people today are pressing the “to each his/her own” attitude than ever before. I wonder what spawned this or, better, why it’s suddenly more vocal today than at any other time in history? Any thoughts?

Have you given further consideration to a Collected Essays volume? I’d very much be interested should it occur.

Anyway, I’m off to go finish up preparing dinner so I’ll leave you for now.

Take care.

I might be phoning in an order for the next Cerebus volume on my list, but I might also get my copy via another means (being the on-line shopper that I am). Just a heads up.

Sincerely,