Driving a tired and sleepy car today, but the show must go on. Did today’s work on Project Rebuild. Now I’m doing this. Then onto something else afterward.
Assuming the world doesn’t explode by end-of-week, on Friday I’m scheduled to speak with someone who understands the Matrix better than me and we’re going to do some behind-the-scenes work on this blog to turn it into the on-line machine I need for going forward (which basically means taking what’s here and doing some back-end stuff to achieve what I hope is the final step in my media machine model). If the blog gets a little screwy on Friday or, potentially, the days leading up to it because I decide to monkey around, just hang tight.
In the meantime, stay safe. Stay healthy. Eat right. Rest right. It’s all any of us can do to ensure we are as healthy as possible for the days ahead.
Side note: The latest Patreon article is written and will be uploaded after final review. The topic is what to do if you’re feeling your arts career is sinking. Part one of two. Read it here by subscribing to the Essays tier. Also gets you access to all uploaded chapters of Gigantigator Death Machine. Thank you in advance for your support.
Main goals for the week include: Continue keeping the Project Rebuild wheel in motion, continue work on the new art print I started last week, and some behind-the-scenes stuff connected to my little media machine. I’m sure secondary goals for the week will pop up, but until they do, these items get the focus.
Fairly mild morning here in Winnipeg. We got hit with some real cold weather last week but it’s begun to let up.
Presently drinking coffee and allowing the brain to come on-line for the day.
Tomorrow, a new entry for the behind-the-scenes tier airs on Patreon. Get an inside look at how things work behind the curtain here at Axiom-man Central by going here and joining my Patreon journey. Thanks.
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.
Today I added a Tip Jar option to my Patreon page and set one up on Ko-fi. The former is a set amount ($2.49, basically a coffee), the latter whatever you feel like. This is meant for folks who’d like to support me but are unable to subscribe to my Patreon. There are no rewards. It’s simply meant for those who want to back what I do here at Canister X—the Realm of Heroes and Monsters—in terms of supporting the free content I put on the Web: Daily blogging, YouTube videos, a weekly newsletter, and artwork.
That tip—as it is with all my creative income—goes into an overall pot, which in turn funds everything I do. Like I say, those who support me are buying me Time. I enjoy making things for all of you and want to keep doing that, so I hope this Tip Jar helps keep the media machine running.
To support the Tip Jar on Patreon, please go here. To support the Tip Jar on Ko-fi, please go here. (There are also links on the right.)
Thank you in advance for any tip. It’s appreciated.
This weekend was a lesson in learning I need my weekends. I spent a lot of time futzing with this blog revamp effort and, man, times have changed. The last time I redesigned the site was somewhere between 2011 and 2013 (I think). Tech has advanced so much that I was lost and spent a lot of time trying things and hitting walls.
(See, this blog needs to be set up a certain way so it functions the way I need it to for my overall media machine; it’s not just setting up a basic site and calling it good.)
I’ve never been tech savvy, meaning, I’m the kind of guy whose brain works for most things on the premise of show-me-a-time-or-two-then-I-can-do-it. I also learn through trial and error. But when it comes to tech and looking at it and already having a general idea of how things go? Nope. The last time I was like that was when I got my first computer back in grade six. (Yes, they had computers back then. They were called abacuses.)
So here we are. This site was supposed to be done by today but isn’t, so please bear with me. Keep checking back as daily blogging will continue. It just won’t be pretty until the revamp is complete.
Back to weekends: My workflow is much different now due to various reasons both personal and professional and my body and brain don’t work like they used to. Let’s blame age for that. And that I’m still recovering from being ill.
I need my weekends to recharge after going at breakneck speed throughout the week. I’m not 30 anymore.
Formal announcement for when the blog is complete is forthcoming.
Awhile back I decided that November 1, 2019, would mark the day I officially went into winter hibernation mode aka Heavy Broadcast Mode. My work plate is mighty heavy and I need to keep my head low and just get things done. That said, I will be off the social feeds until spring. However, that doesn’t mean my feeds will be an empty desert. I’ll be broadcasting social content to you from here at the Central, but if you need to interact, please send me an email as I won’t be checking PMs.
One of the major tasks I need to do this winter is overhaul the website. The content will remain but the programming language is dated and I need to bring things up to speed if I’m to stay relevant as we progress down the Timeline of All Things. The aim is to do that this weekend, so if you come by the site between now and next week, don’t fret if things look in disarray. I’m hoping for a smooth transition and nobody is none the wiser, but I’ve also been around Web stuff long enough to know glitches happen when all you want to do is execute what is supposed to be a simple procedure(s).
Today also marks the beginning of a new month, which means a new month starts up on my Patreon page, in turn opening the gates for new chapters in my ongoing serial novel, Gigantigator Death Machine, essays, behind-the-scenes stuff, and more. Please join me and my other patrons as we embark on November’s journey by going here.
What is all this winter stuff I keep talking about? I don’t want to give away all the surprises, so I’ll give you a vague summary instead:
Pictured: Batman mug from my childhood and my vape unit.
This morning, I reviewed some things behind the scenes here at Axiom-man Central and came to the unsettling conclusion I have a year-long project ahead of me. The project is not a specific book or comic but rather a partial rebuild of my media machine. This workload is no small undertaking, but it’s an undertaking that must be done. I thought I was busy before and now I have to go into overdrive.
