Welcome to Recap Tunnel: 10 Accomplishments from the Past Decade.
Recently, there was a thing going around on-line where you listed or said your accomplishments over the past decade.
Here are ten of mine in no particular order:
1) Published Canister X Comix Nos. 1 – 3 2) Celebrated ten years of Axiom-man with the Axiom-man: Tenth-anniversary Special Edition (which includes a bonus short story, intro by A.P. Fuchs, and an essay) 3) Was obscenely sick and had to go into obscurity for a season before coming back from the dead 4) Co-ran a Kickstarter campaign with Auroraman creator Jeff Burton. This birthed Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm in paperback, eBook, and a limited lettered hardcover edition 5) As part of Project Rebirth, I launched a new channel on YouTube 6) Did a whole ton of conventions and book signings 7) Closed down the traditional publishing side of Coscom Entertainment and got back to publishing only my own work through this label (which I invented in the dark ages during high school) 8) Made some massive changes to my personal life and lived to tell the tale 9) Also as part of Project Rebirth, I launched a Patreon page that’s filled with a ton of content like a serial novel, videos, patron-only blog posts, essays, and behind-the-scenes secrets 10) Moved into a new studio space
There was a lot more that went down but I’ve probably talked about some of those things elsewhere on the blog or somewhere online or maybe in an interview. So here we are: Decade done. Time for a new one.
Lots of plans are in place for 2020 and beyond.
Reminder: I’m taking part in Smashwords’s year-end sale, which means my eBooks are 50% off at their site. You can grab one or more of them by going here. Thank you for your support.
Also, as a little something extra, I took part in Smashwords’s Year-end Sale, so head on over to their eBook store and grab any one of my titles for 50% off! (Some of the shorter works might be free!) This is a great time to stock up on A.P. Fuchs superhero and monster eBooks.
The deal expires January 1, 2020.
Lastly, if you’re subscribed to my Patreon page, please be sure to check the feed because there’s something Christmas-y in there just for patrons!
Have a great day! Again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
A dancing Santa that has been known to cause trouble here at the Central.
Christmas Eve Status Report – 122419
Merry Christmas Eve, everyone.
This is just a note to wish you well tonight. Stay safe. Clean your rooftops so Santa doesn’t slip off. Leave something out for the reindeer. Santa gets enough to eat as it is.
As for life here at the Central, I’m enjoying my Holiday break. Much needed and much appreciated. If you need to reach me, please use email but note I might not get back to you until next week.
Also, I just posted a behind-the-scenes photo tour of my new writing and art studio to Patreon. Please head on over there to check it out. Available on the behind-the-scenes tier and up.
Ps. Make sure to come back to the blog tomorrow for a special Christmas present from me to you.
I’ve officially entered that season where I’m gearing up for the Holidays. And I know I’m gearing up for the Holidays because I’ve hit my wall after four months of going hard trying to rebuild my career after being ill for so long. Next week is Christmas week and I’m taking the week off effective Sunday. Daily blog posts are still planned as is the newsletter. If you’re a Patreon subscriber, the behind-the-scenes tier airs next week. But that’s pretty much it for me for the Holidays. I’ll be back in full swing the week after.
Also, I have a Christmas thing planned for both Patreon and this blog (both different special Christmas things), so make sure you’re hooked up to All Things A.P. Fuchs before next week rolls around so you get everything.
In the end, this break is needed. I plan to read, sleep, watch a little TV, and eat and visit.
Ps. Today on my Patreon page was a Patron-first Announcement revealing the real title of Project Jackass. As a patron, you get project reveal news before anyone else. Subscribe today for as little as a buck to make sure you’re always in the loop. (Other things like an ongoing serial novel, bonus posts, and more should keep you busy between Patron-first Announcements.)
A couple of bookshelves showing part of the library here at the Central.
As I’m getting back into the swing of creating things, I’m also in a place where I’m digging into the masters of the mediums I pursue to see what their thoughts are/were on a particular craft and how those views align or don’t align with my own (the latter approached with an open mind so I’m not closed off in my thinking). In the case of today’s blog entry, quotes on writing were the order of the day.
I’m a firm believer in always learning even if there are stumbles along the way. I also believe every artist regardless of their craft never arrive. Practicing a craft is a lifetime pursuit and ends when you die. Perfection will never be obtained because there is always one punctuation mark to adjust or one fine line on a drawing to tweak. The goal is to do your best while making every effort to improve along the way.
Here are three quotes on writing–more specifically reading–to ponder:
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” – Stephen King
I am in agreement here, and by reading, Mr. King is talking about actual reading, not social media or simple headlines. Reading is part of the job.
And so . . .
“Read, read, read. Read everything–trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.” – William Faulkner
This I’ve practiced since I started in this field. I believe that every piece of writing has at least one good sentence in it, or one good turn-of-phrase, or one lesson of some sort to learn. The ideal is to find all those things repeatedly in the same book, but at a minimum, every type of writing has at least one thing going for it that is worth learning from.
“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” – Ray Bradbury
I chose this one because I was often criticized for living in Fantasyland. I’ll let this one speak to you in its own way. I know how it’s spoken to me.
Last, in regards to reading, this is a note to say the latest chapter of Gigantigator Death Machine was posted to Patreon today. Please go here to start reading this exciting and terrifying serial novel and its preceding chapters for just a buck. Thanks.
Welcome to the A.P. Fuchs 2019 Holiday Gift Guide.
Holiday Season is now in full swing so here’s a list of things that would make great gifts to the A.P. Fuchs fan in your life or anyone who has a thing for superheroes and monsters. While everything I have to offer is available in the Book and Comic Shop (with links to a retailer of your choice), the list below showcases the more unique items from my catalog. All my titles except the second one are available in paperback and eBook.
1. A copy of my latest release, Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm, written by me but with the story by Auroraman creator Jeff Burton and I. Opposite heroes. Cold weather. Snow monsters. You know? The good stuff. Copies are available here.
2. The Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm lettered edition. This is different from the paperback above. The lettered edition is a hardcover edition of Frozen Storm limited to just 26 copies and comes with a special piece of art within the opening pages and the book is signed by Jeff Burton and myself. These are nearly sold out and only 26 copies were produced and will ever be produced. They run $50CAD each with $20CAD for shipping. (We can do a currency conversion to US funds if this item is going to the States.) Please inquire by email.
3. Axiom-man: Tenth Anniversary Special Edition. This book is a celebration of ten years of Axiom-man and includes a revision of the original book, a short story, an essay, and introduction. No collection of The Axiom-man Saga is complete without this special version of the first book. (The short story within is also considered canon.) Copies are available here.
4. Look, Up on the Screen! The Big Book of Superhero Movie Reviews. This title is perfect for the superhero film buff in your life. So far as I’m aware, this is the only film review book out there exclusively dedicated to superhero movies. 100 films are covered. Copies are available here.
5. Book-of-the-Month Club Patreon subscription. On my Patreon page, patrons can elect this tier to join A.P. Fuchs’s Book-of-the-Month Club, in which each month I sign and mail out a book or comic from my catalog. This tier is $30 and includes shipping. It also grants you access to the other tiers, which feature things like an ongoing serial novel, essays on the creative life, behind-the-scenes stuff, and an official membership card. Subscribing someone to the Book-of-the-Month Club ensures they get a signed book from me every month as a surprise in their mailbox. Other tiers for subscription consideration begin at just $1 a month. Please go here to subscribe that special reader in your life.
6. The Undead World Trilogy (Blood of the Dead, Possession of the Dead, Redemption of the Dead). A zombie series unlike any other. The goal with this trilogy was to take what people love about zombie stories to a whole new level and deliver unique twists and turns that you can’t get anywhere else. I don’t want to give anything away, but this series features elements I’ve yet to see in other zombie fiction. But if your reader loves fast-paced, high-stakes stories, then this trilogy delivers both. Copies are available here.
7. Zombie Fight Night: Battles of the Dead. What would happen if you took Bloodsport and The Walking Dead and mixed them together? Zombie Fight Night is what you’d get! This book was an attempt to put everything that’s cool between two covers. A main storyline about a gambler who gets in way over his head anchors the whole thing while the reader is treated to action-packed fights with zombies, werewolves, ninjas, superheroes, robots, kickboxers, sumos, and more! Copies are available here.
8. Metahumans vs the Undead and Metahuman vs Werewolves. Does your Holiday someone like superheroes and monsters? What if you could put the two together? Don’t fear! I’ve already done that for you by editing these two anthologies (which both feature a superhero vs monster tale written by me and starring my superhero, Axiom-man). The stories are about what the titles imply and each book is loaded with creative takes on superheroes vs monsters. And if you’re an Axiom-man collector, these definitely need to be added to your library because the Axiom-man stories within are considered canon here at the Central. Copies are available here.
Thank you for tuning in to the A.P. Fuchs 2019 Holiday Gift Guide this Christmas and I hope that special reader in your life enjoys one or more of the things above. Again, please be sure to browse the Book and Comic Shop for what’s not covered here. I am able to make arrangements with you if you want to order direct in the interest of getting a signature and a personal message (no extra charge for this). Please email or PM to get in touch.
The Various Bits from the Net segment was something I did as part of a daily blog schedule many years ago when each day of the week (Monday-Thursday, with Friday being a summary day; hope I remembered correctly) had a specific assigned topic. They were the same week-to-week except for, of course, the content itself. Various Bits from the Net was one of those days and it was a day I would post links and/or commentary on various items from the Net that caught my interest.
I’m bringing that feature back but, as of this writing, not as a set day per week but rather something I’ll blog about here and there.
So that said, welcome to Various Bits from the Net 2.0. Today’s date is 121019.
Really curious about this one. Obviously, this takes place at some point before Avengers: Endgame, and then even at a point further back because we see Natasha training to become a spy. I’m also a David Harbour fan so I’m really curious as to what he’s going to do with Red Guardian. He’s seems somewhat Hopper-esque (from Stranger Things) which, to me, is a huge plus point.
DC/WB have flubbed their movie outings since Day One with a few exceptions. And while I enjoy the WB/DC movies overall despite their flaws, Wonder Woman delivered well when it was first released about halfway through 2017. I personally think waiting three years for a sequel is one year too many, but I also understand the delay given what’s been happening at the WB offices and them not being sure what to do in terms of the DC Extended Universe. Anyway, Wonder Woman 1984 looks to be a promising sequel to Wonder Woman and I’m curious to see how certain things and characters are explained when the film comes out. This is also a teaser, and since we all know Cheetah is the other main bad guy and she’s not in this trailer, it’s safe to say the villainness will be the focus of a trailer closer to release date.
I grew up with Ghostbusters. To me, they were superheroes because they wore a jumpsuit and had matching proton packs and stopped ghosts. I won’t mention the Ghostbusters reboot from a few years back. In the end, it looks like this is indeed Ghostbusters 3 (it’s about time), and also appears to be a transition movie to pass the torch on to a new group of Ghostbusters.
The last portion of this interview hit home hard. I’ve gone through what Alan Moore speaks about. It’s also very pleasant to see an interview with Mr. Moore that doesn’t rehash the same questions he’s been asked for the past twenty-plus years. He makes an excellent point about art in this clip and its impact on human history. It’s this point he makes that fuels me on a daily basis because I’m a firm believer that everything is art and that its value far exceeds anything else we put our value in (especially in the 21st century where our values seem awfully misplaced).
My friend and fellow author Nick Cato came out with a book recently. It’s called Suburban Grindhouse and it’s his first film book. Though part memoir, it looks at exploitation films and the effect they had on audiences in New York and New Jersey. Presently, it’s available exclusively from the publisher. Details and write-up can be found here. (If you sign up for their newsletter, Nick informs me you get 20% off.)
Lastly, today a new essay went up on my Patreon page and it’s about getting back in the creative saddle after a lengthy hiatus. I relay my own experience about getting back to work after being ill and suggest to you the steps that helped me get the ball rolling again. You can read the essay here.
And that wraps up this installment of Various Bits from the Net.
Project Rebirth: Final Update and Announcement given this sixth day of the twelfth month in the year 2019 AD.
It’s been a long, busy journey, but Project Rebirth is complete up to the point where I can transfer out parts of the project into the “things I need to finish” category, in other words, what’s left to do is the “more” part that I’ve mentioned in previous updates.
So, as always, a recap of what’s complete and what that strange “more” is all about.
The following list is taken from the last update on Project Rebirth.
Resumption of my newsletter, The Canister X Transmission: Goes out every Saturday and has been for a while now. Please subscribe here and get yourself a free thriller e-novelette as a thank you for joining me.
A Patreon account with special content just for patrons: All systems have been in go mode for a while now, too. By becoming a patron, you get access to an ongoing serial novel, essays on the creative life, a look behind-the-scenes, and other fun stuff. Joining the journey supports what I do and keeps the projects alive. Please join my patrons and I on my Patreon journey here.
Order fulfillment of the Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm Kickstarter: All the books are printed up. Special piece of exclusive art to the Frozen Storm lettered edition needs a final touch, printing, then into the books.
Publication of projects that were temporarily put on hold: See the “more” section below.
Bigtime expansion and growth of The Axiom-man Saga and associated products: Transferring this portion of the project into the “things I need to finish” category. Keep an eye on this blog for news and updates as we bring the Cobalt Crusader into 2020. I really want to get that long-awaited Battle of Power Trilogy storyline done and published.
Revving up public appearances and media again: Best place to keep up to date with these is via the Convention and Book Signing Schedule page on this site. Please go there to check out what’s booked so far. Regarding interviews and whatnot, those will be announced on the blog when they happen and will also be listed under the Interviews section of this site.
New YouTube channel: Been running for a short while now. New videos uploaded regularly. Please subscribe here so you don’t miss the latest video.
More . . . : A Web presence redesign along with a retooling of the social media pages was part of this and is complete. There is more SEO stuff to do to properly bring the blog into the New Year, but that is a pick-at project for when I have the time and there’s no real deadline other than, say, by spring or something.
The big part of “more” is this: Book redesigns!
A good chunk of my book covers are dated and need an upgrade so many are getting one. I also need to adjust the distribution system for a pile of titles to keep them available and searchable at various retailers. Presently, all first editions are still available so if you’re a first-edition collector, please head over to my Book and Comic Shop and stock up. If you’d like a signed copy, please email me directly and we’ll make arrangements.
As the titles begin to transfer over to their new form, I will post notices here as to which books are being redone and when so you can keep current with what’s what. This book redesigning effort is a large project and is going to take time because there are so many titles. My aim is to do them in chunks. At the time of this writing, my plan is to update my backlist before releasing anything new (despite new titles already being complete behind the scenes). It’s better for my books’ overall quality that I stay in one kind of headspace (re-releasing the backlist) before switching into another (releasing new titles).
But have no fear for new comic book releases are scheduled! I will announce these in a separate blog post when the time comes.
So there you have it. This is my winter and what’s coming down the pike. I’m not joking when I say I’m busy.
Thank you for your patience as I got the media machine up and running again. Thank you for your support reading this blog and watching my videos. Thank you for grabbing the first editions of my monster and superhero books.
My Patreon tiers are shifting in the New Year. Starting in early 2020, while the current programming will remain, some new tiers and options will be added.
Things are in the planning and lock-down phase at the moment as I work out the schedule.
My Patreon page is a place for exclusive content and first looks.
An announcement is forthcoming once I finish putting the 2020 Patreon picture together.
Stay tuned.
Ps. A new chapter of Gigantigator Death Machine was posted today. You can read it and all its previous chapters for just a buck by going here. Thanks.
Surprise! It’s ThankYouPatrons Day and you guys get center stage!
Today across the globe, Patreon creators are thanking their patrons for their support and I’m proud to be one of them.
Thank you, patrons, truly, from the bottom of my heart for your support on my Patreon journey, and though my journey is still fairly new, it’s been a fun ride and I have more fun planned for you in the coming months. It’s not easy to be the first to support someone or take a chance on something less familiar, yet that’s exactly what you have done: Stepped out and had been the first to support this writer/artist from the north on the platform.
Again, thank you.
Right now, my Patreon includes various tiers, all of them having an ongoing serial novel–Gigantigator Death Machine is playing right now, a homeage to late-night creature features–as a base, with essays, behind-the-scenes stuff, a book club, and more at other tiers. Please go here to join myself and my patrons as we travel the road of imagination.
And so again, patrons, thank you for your support. I hope you’ve enjoyed what I’ve brought to the table so far and I hope you enjoy the things coming up around the bend.
Best,
A.P. Fuchs
Note: This notice is posted in its own variation both on Patreon and on my blog because I want my patrons to be acknowledged and thanked publicly and know they are appreciated.
