As part of the original conception of Project Rebirth, creating audio editions of my work is on the docket. These will occur sometime after this year because the reissues of Project Rebuild and the publishing of new work are priority.
I’ve dabbled in audio before. I recorded the first Axiom-man book many, many years ago as a free download (sorry, I no longer have the files to this and it was pulled from the original distributor many years back). I also recorded a video reading of the first four (I think) chapters of Blood of the Dead, which aired on my old YouTube channel (here’s the new channel). The first bit of Blood of the Dead was also recorded as an audio drama on an old zombie podcast back in the day (it was really cool).
This is the next step for the books once I’m caught up on everything else.
Please accept this blog entry as mere notice that audio editions are on the horizon, but due to the number of books I’ve written and the time it takes to properly record them and package them, audio book releases are still a decent ways off into the future.
But no fear! You can still read all my novels in book form in paperback and eBook by visiting the Book and Comic Shop.
This photo is indicative of the work week thus far.
I have a full creative plate.
Lots going on, with some projects for clients on the tail-end of completion, Project Rebuild in full swing, and working on other projects both in terms of on-line content and for hardcopy books and comics. While this week seemed full on the onset, the load is already beginning to lighten due to tying up some things yesterday. I figured out on the weekend why things have seemed hectic: Project Rebirth. When Project Rebirth started in the fall, it was a project that had a lot of moving parts and a lot of little tasks associated with it so each day I was doing a plethora of things to get my career running again. Now, and I’m fairly sure I’ve previously mentioned, my workflow is shifting to fewer things in the day because those fewer things take more time. In the end, this switch-up in working is a welcome one because I nearly crashed prior to the Holidays with juggling so many things.
Anyway, adjustments made. Focus change pleasant.
Speaking of focus and zeroing in, today I posted a couple of pages to Patreon of pencils from Secret Project No. 3, showing what these things look like before they’re ever printed in comic book form. Go here to check it out and read past patron-only blog posts, essays, a serial novel, and more.
This notice is to inform you all three books in my Undead World Trilogy are the first on the docket for Project Rebuild (the name I gave in my newsletter to the “things to finish” category from stuff leftover from Project Rebirth).
From now until their re-release, the books will remain available in their original first-edition formats for my readers who want a first-edition collection of my work. When it’s near time to publish the reissues, these original formats will be removed from sale so please don’t delay and grab your copies now before they’re gone.
Also note Project Rebuild is very time-consuming thus my free content for the web will slow down a little. Daily blogging, the newsletter, and YouTube videos will continue but the content will shift a little so I ensure this rebuilding project gets completed.
Thanks.
Ps. A new essay was posted to Patreon today that discusses spontaneous book or comic marketing and gives ideas on how you can market your project at the drop of a hat. Read it here.
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.
Today, the drawing phase of Secret Project No. 3 begins!
This is a horror comic that I showed a very brief glimpse of on my Patreon’s behind-the-scenes tier. I haven’t really mentioned it here on the blog but it’s a project I’ve been sitting on for a decent chunk of time (two years, maybe?). A few pages are finished but the strips inside are not. Time to get the whole thing done and published. Since it’s a full-sized issue, and considering the time it takes to make comics, this won’t be available until early next year.
With 2020 right around the corner and taking into account my overall plan regarding the “things I need to finish” from Project Rebirth, it’s time to get my butt in gear and get this particular project complete. (See this blog entry regarding what “things I need to finish” is all about.)
A title is still being settled upon. I will share it with you once I figure out what it is.
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.
While I was ill a lot of stuff fell by the wayside. Some projects were done, others unfinished. It’s taken a while to figure out where things are at but today I came up with a publishing plan that I’m comfortable with, especially since I’m still on the mend.
So that said, here’s the plan:
While I’m doing the “more” of Project Rebirth, I will be publishing comics until the “more” is complete. I will talk about the “more” soon enough on the blog so stay tuned for that. Regarding comics, I have two projects on the go and they are such that I can maintain both without killing myself. They are Project Jackass and Project Cobalt.
Status of each:
Project Jackass: In the writing phase along with release and publication planning. Some design done. Publication planning mostly complete. This is a project that will be executed in an unusual way compared to what you’re used to from me.
Project Cobalt: New phase just started but still in the writing phase overall. Publishing plan mostly pinned down.
These are scheduled to debut next year.
There is a tiny chance Project Jackass will arrive before 2019 is out but don’t hold your breath. There are a lot of things that need to come together for this and my schedule is quite packed at the moment because apparently doing 101 things at once is how I roll.
One thing is certain, however: My days as just being a writer are over. I’m in a new era in my personal life and the old chapter is closed, including how I handled my creative career during that time. Going forward, I’m a writer/artist so my energies will be spent making both books and comics. Comics are what started me in this business all those years ago and it’s fitting that things have come full circle.
I can’t wait to reveal what these project code-names really are.
Sketchbook, notebook, and calendar (yes, I use paper for planning).
Status Report for 112519:
We’ve turned a corner here at the Central now that a good chunk of Project Rebirth is out of the way. The next step is to review my Project Media notebook (not pictured) and see how the items listed in there fit on the schedule.
I have some goals in mind for the next little while, with overarching goals to take me into the spring and, in some cases, beyond. What needs to be done is figuring out the timing of these things so a release schedule can happen.
I’m guessing part of the day today will include me sitting in a chair and pondering timelines.
As I mentioned in my newsletter this past weekend, a new art and writing studio is on the docket and yesterday I began the process of setting up shop by way of getting a carpet for the floor. It’s laying in there right now, ready to be cut to size. After that comes moving in all my equipment and supplies and doing some decorating. It’s basically going to be a studio/comic shop hybrid when it’s done and will be revealed on Patreon next month for the behind-the-scenes tier and above.
Above is a picture of the blank slate I’m working with.
I’m eager to get this new workspace up and running. The new studio is part of the “more” as hinted at in my posts about Project Rebirth.
Today will be spent drifting back and forth between creative items and setting things up in the new studio so I’m all tucked away for the winter.
More of the “more” of Project Rebirth to be revealed soon enough. Keep checking back for updates.
Lots of comics on the brain these days, both the creation of them and the publishing of them (the latter being the most difficult in the context of distribution; publishing them in general is a non-issue). I’m basically living in my head on the matter and have written notes where and when needed. An overall plan is starting to congeal but there are still a few missing elements which will no doubt present themselves the further I get into the process.
I’m still waiting to hear back from some people on something that will dictate the winter schedule. I expect I’ll be hearing something soon thus helping things on my end.
A good chunk of Project Rebirth is in the can, here is the update, lifting the list from this previous blog entry:
Resumption of my newsletter, The Canister X Transmission: This has been back up and running for a while now and is just as enjoyable now and it was all the years I’ve been doing it. Please subscribe by going here. You get a free novelette as a thank you.
A Patreon account with special content just for patrons: This has also been running for a bit now. It’s a lot of fun and I’m thrilled to provide exclusive content to my patrons. Please join the Patreon journey and get access to an ongoing serial novel (plus other things, depending on the tier you select), by going here.
Order fulfillment of the Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm Kickstarter: The paperback is coming off the line at the printer’s right now so a pick up is in the near future. I will sign the books then send them to Jeff Burton for his signature before they go out to backers. The lettered edition is printed and signed on my end. I’m in the process of inserting a piece of exclusive art into the book. Once this is done, these will also go to Jeff Burton for signature then to backers. If you missed the kickstarter but want a copy of the book to complete your Axiom-man and/or Auroraman collection, please go here.
Publication of projects that were temporarily put on hold: A list is made, but this is tied into the “more” below, so as it stands right now, I’m not moving on them just yet.
Bigtime expansion and growth of The Axiom-man Saga and associated products: In process.
Revving up public appearances and media again: To be looked at over the winter.
New YouTube channel: The channel has been up for a short while with more videos being added as time goes on. Please subscribe here.
More . . . : This “more” is tied into the “hearing back from some people” statement above. This step is a big part of my winter so I’m in a holding pattern until I know what’s going on. Watch this space for more info once I have it. I think a Web presence redesign was part of my original plan for “more” so that’s also complete both here on the blog and on social media.
And that pretty much sums up where things are at with Project Rebirth. More news to come as things progress along.
Reminder: A Tip Jar was set up yesterday on Patreon and on Ko-fi. The tips are meant to help fuel the free stuff I put on the Web (daily blogging, YouTube videos, a weekly newsletter, and artwork). Thank you in advance for any beans you throw my way.
