Writers Panels at Conventions

As anyone who has published a fantasy book knows, or even people who have thought about publishing one, or people who have read Orson Scott Cards' book about writing science fiction, or even people who have BEEN to fantasy conventions are aware...there are panels where writers give talks. There are classes conducted by writers. There are readings by writers. Writers sign autographs.
All of these things are generally free with your registration for the convention and they are pretty fun to go to. They are even more fun for the writer.
Why do writer's do it? Free convention registration. It's fun to feel like a celebrity. It's cool that someone gives a crap what your opinion is. But the primary reason they do it is to promote their books.
This is true whether the writer is self-published or traditionally published.
Green is doing some panels at the upcoming Con Nooga, but I haven't been prolific enough to do any right now. I'm targeting next year, but I was discussing the panels with the director of Con Nooga and he told me that many traditionally published writers refuse to be on a panel with self published authors.
I'm a bit baffled by this. I've had experience in both realms so I consider myself a fair and balanced representative.
It would seem that both authors are there for the same reason - promote their book. The self-pubs look up to the traditional authors. It would seem it would be fun to be on a panel with a self-pub and help them out a bit. I think this issue will arise more in the future than it has in the past as more and more avenues to publication become available.
Self published authors now might have used a subsidy press, a POD publisher, or they may have published solely online or through Twitter or You Tube.
My take on the whole thing: If you are an author, do some panels. If you are a traditionally published author, stop looking down your nose at people who chose a different path. Write a lot and write often. Go to conventions even if you aren't a guest. Meet your audience.


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Horror for your Reading Pleasure

It's just a fact that there are not a lot of publishers who specialize in horror fiction. There are some publishers who do it, but not many that specialize in it. It's not a surprise since horror is a pretty small piece of the pie in terms of publishing.
Having said that though, it is certainly clear that there is a niche out there for people who know horror and know it well. Were someone to come along and specialize in good horror, and make sure they told that story well and stayed in their lane, then eventually fans of the genre would trust that publisher to produce things they like. It would be a "win" for the publisher because people might come to them first for their horror novels. It would certainly be a "win" for the reader since they would now have a place to go where they would be reasonably assured of having their horror-fix satiated.
GGE, of course, writes some horror...and good horror at that. "The Forsaken" is our first novel-length horror and it is currently with some folks for consideration.
If I were submitting it today, or if I were just looking for a good horror book to read, I would certainly consider Snuff Books and Severed Press.
Both tell their story well and the website and titles give the reader assurances that, if you are looking for a horror novel by someone who understands horror, then you have come to the right place.



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Preditors and Editors

Preditors and Editors is a great site for aspiring writers. The whole thing is devoted to investigating publishers, agents, etc. and reporting on those that are reputable versus those that are scammers (and there are a lot of scammers out there).
Some examples - agents who charge reading fees, PublishAmerica, agents who never sell anything, publishers who make most of their money off of books they sell back to the author.
I have relied on Preditors and Editors several times in the past, especially when reading about a publisher or agent that seemed too good to be true. The site doesn't cost anything and it has great information. Enough so that some publishers have cleaned up their act and even gone to great lengths to work with P&E to ensure the site they are legit.
I thought about this recently when I saw a writer on the fantasy convention circuit who had published through Publish America. The name rang a bell so I went to their site and read about them and it sounded too good to be true, so I checked Preditors and Editors. Yikes. Avoid PublishAmerica. But don't avoid Preditors and Editors. In fact, visit often.





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Dangersmith

I don't have a lot to say about Dangersmith other than it is just darn cool. I am really surprised there is not more of a following. If there is something it is "like", maybe it is like Bone, but cooler. Reminds me a little of Scud, The Disposable Assassin. The art is really great.
I will go out on a limb and make a prediction that if DangerSmith's creator keeps plugging away, this one could go far.


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Fail First, Then Succeed

Just read a really important post on Seth's Blog. Hint: It's about Tim Burton.

Tim Burton has had staggering success by any "creatives" measuring stick. His vision is amazing. His work is awesome. Some don't love it, but it is unique. He has stayed true to his vision and he has an extremely loyal following.

What I did not realize is that he pitches a lot of ideas that don't get picked up. They don't get a green light. He "fails". Every.single.year.

What's the take home message? I guess I assumed, as most would, that Tim Burton would just say "I have an idea" and people would line up to produce it. Not so. In that regard maybe he's not so different from you and I.
How is he different though? He keeps generating ideas. He keeps pitching them and he does this a lot.

Eventually one resonates and takes off. He has to fail a bunch before he can succeed. Of course when he does succeed, the world is thrilled about it.

Why should we be any different?



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Geek Girl

It's no secret that I love comics. I especilally love Indie Comics for their "challenge-the-mainstream-and-thus-become-the-mainstream" mentality. In the interests of complete disclosure, I have not read "Geek Girl" but the previews on her site look great!

I am always hoping for the next TMNT (an indie comic launch believe it or not). I don't know if "Geek Girl" is it, but the art is phenomenal and it sounds really interesting.

I'll be checking it out.


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Facebooking

I know I am late to the party, but after reading Gary Vaynerchuk's "Crush It", I have been delving deeper into the world of Facebook, You Tube and Twitter and I am amazed how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Just by looking around a little, I am finding a whole sea of people like me - artists, writers, creators all looking to share their worlds and vision.
It is really invigorating and a bit daunting. If you aren't using Facebook everyday, then you are missing out on some major opportunities to connect!
Check out our facebook site here.



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Avatar

Just went and saw Avatar in 3D - I know everyone is totally jazzed about it. I enjoyed it a great deal as well. Here are some thoughts though:

• Stephen Lang was awesome as the Marine Colonel. He was just perfect. Why is that archetype always a bad guy though? Isn't that the same sort of man who defeated the Nazis? (and how can I get muscles like his? Especially when I am at the ripe age of 57?)
• The story is, admittedly, very predictable. Is the movie only saved by the amazing special effects and the immersive world of Pandora?
• The fact that the movie is very much "Dances with Wolves" but with a happier ending, reinforces the idea that we don't always have to look for a brand new story. Sometimes a new way of telling a familiar story can still resonate with audiences.
• 3D is the only way to see this movie in the theaters. I am stll amazed by Tru 3D movies where the actors seem to be in the room with you.
• I want one of those giant suits of driveable armor (mechs) like the Marines have. So darn cool.
• The really awesome girl pilot remonds me a little of "Vasquez" from Aliens - also a James Cameron movie.

So - go see the movie. Like Darth Vader, Colonel Quaritch is a GREAT bad guy. Why is he a GREAT bad guy? Because he does not think he's a bad guy. He's just doing his job. Stephen Lang said as much. He played him that way and it ROCKED.




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Why Fantasy and Science Fiction

People have asked me why I am still into Fantasy, Science Fiction, Superheroes, Comic Books, Cartoons, etc. Why haven't I grown up? For all appearances I am a normal, well-adjusted adult male so why all this speculative fiction stuff?

Well, here it it! I've been a writer for years, but I have always come back to the zombies, wizards, dragons and stuff that's not real. For those that don't know, I spent ten years as a firefighter. In that time I saw husbands lose wives, and wives lose husbands. I saw children suffer things they should never have to suffer. I saw families displaced from their homes by fire. I saw people maimed by accidents. I saw gruesome things and lots of times it was something one human intentionally did to another.

After those ten years, I realized that I want to spend some time escaping from the bad stuff in the real world. I want to offer people the chance to go with me on that same journey.

Hence why my writing all takes place in something other than the "real" world


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A note on writing dialogue

When you write your dialogue, take a minute and read it out loud to make sure it sounds like something someone would actually say. Few people actually say, "I shall do something" for example. You can get away with a lot in dialogue, like crappy grammar, because people say all sorts of things, but if it doesn't sound natural then your audience will know it. The only caveat I can give you is if the character is known for stilted and archaic speech. Of course that presents the separate problem of having to remember when you write that character, to put it in his or her typical dialogue and only drop it when the character has reason to.

Bottom line - read your dialogue and make sure it is something people would actually say. Trust me on this one - I've screwed this up more times by accident than most of you could ever do on purpose.


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Sales Presentations

Just had a visit from a vendor selling service. Like all vendor presentations, it was nice and collegial. We traded cards, we drank coffee and they showed me a powerpoint presentationt that was reasonably well done.
There was nothing earth-shattering to commend this vendor over any other, but I may use them for work at some point.
It got me to thinking though that there has to be a better way to get business. Build relaationships before saying "Will you hire me?"
I think this goes for entertainment companies as well, but how to begin building a relationship?
I have always heard that an amateur artist copies, but a mature artist steals. Maybe that's true, but we all have a moral repugnance to imitating someone else's work. Imitiation, of course, is the highest form of flattery.
Flip this around for a moment though - what if, instead of imitation, you think of it as an homage to another artist's work. That makes it more palatable. Why would I say to do this? Well, unless you have a sigbnature style that people are going to seek out, then you have a couple of options. One is to work in a world the people already like (for example - take over drawing X-men or write a Forgotten Realms novel). This is a hard one to break into sometimes. The second option is to write/draw/produce something that feels familiar to people. The way Starcraft was familiar to Warcraft players and a million other RTS games were familiar to the same people. The same way Joe Abercrombie feels familiar to readers of George RR Martin. After the familiarity phase, people begun to trust the Joe Abercombie's to be as entertaining and satisfying as the Geroge RR Martins and the new relationship is good to go!
So don't imitate...homage! Build a relationship - then try and sell, but only sell stuff they want. Sell what they need, not because you need it.


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Twitter

Dipping my feet in the proverbial Twitter pool (thanks to Gary Vaynerchuk). So far the link on the right of the page doesn't work, but my user name is greeng8tes so look me up and follow along! As I get better at it, more exciting stuff will be tweeted. Right now, I am like "I...am...sitting...on...the...patio"

I'll get better. I may be an old dog, but new tricks are my specialty.


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Wolverine and the X-men

As somewhat of an expert on heroes and villains, I felt I should comment on this series. Like many of you, I saw this series around. I was slow to pick it up even though I have enjoyed both of the previous two X-men series. This one is now into season 4 so if you haven't picked it up yet, better get moving. It is cheap at $9.95 per DVD and is a darn good series.

I found this one to be really, really well done, with one exception. Charles Xavier, speaking from the future, tells Wolverine that he (Wolvie) has to take over as leader of the X-men or they will not survive.
I can't help it...this just hits me the wrong way. Cyclops is the leader. His skill is leading. Even Wolverine knows it! This, to me, seems a bit too commercial and is just not great story telling. Okay, for just a second, let's assume Cyke did something wrong and led the X-men to ruin. Well, Charles Xavier has trusted Cyclops for years and trained him to take over when Chuck was gone. Would he not just send Cyclops a message to zig when he zagged? Just tell Cyke what he did wrong and you KNOW he would not make the same mistake twice.
I love X-men, Wolverine, Cyclops and Professor X, but let's use them as they are intended. Professor X gets in trouble. Cyclops takes over as the heir apparent and the natural born leader. Wolverine kills stuff and gets the girls.


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Changing of the Guard

On the left is Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets, or "Sanchize" as they have been calling him (since his is their new "Franchise" Quarterback). It's his first year in the league and he just one his first playoff game, which is not common for a rookie QB.
It got me thinking about the playoffs this year (since I am a rabid football fan, that wasn't hard to do). I notice that the QBs, arguably the leader of any team, represent an interesting mixed bag. There are some old classic heroes of the last decade in Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Tom Brady, Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb. These are the names that were dominant a few years ago (and they are all still really good). But then you have newer names like Tony Romo, Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers and Phillip Rivers.

As I look at these names, it occurs to me that in football, just as in any industry, even then one you are in or want to be in, there is a changing of the guard at some point. Old icons fade and new ones take their place. This will happen inevitably whether you are part of it or not, but knowing this void is out there in whatever your chosen industry might be, just imagine that when the void appeared how nice it would be if you were waiting to step into it and pick up where the previous icon left off.

I can't guarantee that you will be the next icon, but I can guarantee this: if you don't even show up, then someone else will take the spot.

So show up! Why not start today! Why not right now? Someone has to be the one.

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"Crush It!" by Gary Vaynerchuk

Just got this book - "Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion" by Gary Vaynerchuck. So far, it is really good. I have been reading all the "live your passion" stuff, which I am totally all about. I haven't gotten to the step-by-step instructions yet that are supposed to guide you to living your passion and using social networking to achieve your dreams, but it is a well-reviewed book and authors I really respect have recommended it (like Timothy Ferriss) so I am definitely giving it a chance. Gary Vaynerchuk is well-respected for being able to leverage social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc.
I'll fill in more when I finish it.

Anyone else read it? Thoughts? Opinions?




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To outline or not outline?

So, even though Green Gates Entertainment is not solely a stable of writers, I am a writer and so I have these sorts of thoughts often.
I am starting a new story so how much should I outline? Versus just write from a vague idea and let the story and characters take a life of their own and lead me where they want me to go?
I read Stephen King's "On Writing" and he said he just writes and lets the stories unfold as they may. Unfortunately, I think this only works for the start of the stories. I love Stephen King's writing, but the endings don't always reverberate with me. When I read his approach to writing though, it sounded so good to me.
Then read Terry Brooks' "Sometimes the Magic Works" and he says that a writer should outline meticulously. He even pointed out Stephen King as an example of what not to do. This confused me.

Of course it also reminded me of the old saw: "There are three rules to writing a great novel. Unforunately, no one knows what they are."

Then I read Peter David's "Writing For Comics". I realize that not all of us want to write for comics, but a lot of the stuff in this book apply to any writing. Peter David says you should know the beginning, middle and end before you start. This is echoed by Syd Field who has written a ton of books on Screenwriting. Syd says you should definitely have an idea where you are going.

So what do I do? A little of both. I get a good idea of who my characters are. I figure out the beginning, the middle and the end, but I leave plenty of space in between where the characters and story can sort of do their own thing and lead me where they want to go naturally. Then during the editting and rewrite phase, these all gets polished into one smooth narrative.

What's your approach? Of course what is most important is to not get too bogged down in details and just writer something. Get it written, then get it right!



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Con Nooga 2010, Chattanooga TN

Con Nooga is almost upon us. It's February 19th-21st in the scenic city of Chattanooga, TN which is a great town to visit and live in and an even greater town for a convention.
What sort of convention? A multi-fandom type convention of all sorts of sci-fi/fantasy/super hero geek types.

I, personally can't wait and it gets rave reviews every year.
This year I will just be in attendance, but one day soon I hope to be an invited guest based on my prolific list of science fiction and fantasy novels and the roleplaying tie-ins for GGE properties.

That's the future. In the present though, I am looking forward to a weekend in the scenic city and having good times (and good spirits) with friends at Con Nooga 2010. Come get yer fanboy (or girl) on!











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start one decade, end another

Hey! Thanks for reading this. I derive a great deal of pleasure and benefit form our almost-daily talks. I'm sure they aren't quite as beneficial for you, but thanks for being here nonetheless.

At the risk of seeming like a disciple, I have another Seth Godin clip. Two Years ago, Seth wrote this entry.

What is notable about this entry is the question it asks. It brings home the question of "What do you wish you had done ten years ago?"
Asked another way - "In Ten Years what will you regret not having started"

For me, if ten years came and went and there was no medium in which a GreenGates property existed, meaning I had not written, drawn, filmed, produced or published something in the decade from 2010-2020.

I hope it seems very unlikely to you that I will miss ten years. I did miss the last five or so, and that was my fault and I do regret it. So I can say from experience not to let fear or anything else stop you. Go be excellent!


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Starting the year off right!

Since it is frigid outside, I have put off my outdoor activities today and instead watched "Paranormal Activity", "Inglorious Basterds" and "District 9"
I didn't love Paranormal Activity - it fell to the age old horror movie cliche where the people afflicted by said "event" are as brain dead as possible in how they deal with the issue until eventually, the horrible events foreshadowed throughout the whole film (which in this case encompasses three weeks of the characters' lives) engulfs them. I can't imagine a less educated way to deal with what was going on than the way these two handled it. It was worse than "The Blair Witch" in that regard.
Conversely, I LOVED "Inglorious Basterds". It was just freaking cool with all the great dialogue one expects from Tarantino.
What I wanted to write about though was "District 9" - what a great imagining of how it might be if extraterrestrials coasted in tomorrow. The look was great, the sci-fi was cool, the action was awesome and it had an extremely "real" feel, which all god sci-fi should have. It should seem like something just around the corner. So, I have high praise for "District 9" as well.

But for pure escapism - a group of G.I.s imagined by Quentin Tarantino with the sole purpose in life of "killin' Nazis" is hard to beat.



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Why write at all?

That's a loaded for question for those "creatives" who have the bug to write. We just can't "not write". Then again, lots feel the urge. They se a movie, get inspiration and think of great ideas inspired by what they have just seen, like a fallow field being rained upon. So what happens?
They buy into all the things "they" say.
For example, "they" might tell you that:

• You can't write
• You'll never break into writing
• It's to competetive
• You have to now someone
• You can't self publish and have any success
• It's for weirdos
• It's silly
• Grow up and stop dreaming

Those things that "they" say should just flat out be ignored. Write because you love it. Write because you have a story to tell or an idea to explore or a character you love. It really doesn't matter if others like it, but they probably will. Above all, if you are a writer, and you can't stop the ideas from coming, then you have been given a gift. It's not like the frappucino maker you got from your in-laws. This gift should be used. So...go use it!


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Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year. In between bowl games and well-wishing my friends, I have managed a list of New Years Resolutions. One big one is to get the GGE website (not this blog) truly functional with art, stories and maybe some goodies for people to check out, download or buy.
I am convinced (in large part due to Seth Godin) that a creative endeavor needs a web presence to start generating buzz and start collecting the 1,000 fans that seem to be the magic number.
So, for me, a big 2010 goal is to have a website that I am proud of and that people like to visit and check out.
Some plans are:

• GGE News
• Artworks around GGE properties
• Some short fiction to read/download
• Maybe a choose-your-own path online adventure
• Some GGE rpg tie-in sourcebooks (using Pathfinder RPG as the source RPG of course - though by doing so, we could appeal to all of our D20 friends and fans).

Feel free to share some of your resolutions, goals and/or objectives. We can talk about them here and keep each other accountable!




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The GGE Tribe

GreenGates needs to build a tribe. I hope 2010 is the year to start. More than hope, of course, we will have to do things to make this happen. I have several initiatives planned to start doing just that, but firsst let me explain the goal.
We need a tribe. Our tbie needs to be at least 1,000 people. Preferably 2,000 people since there are 2 entities that form GGE. Why do I say 1,000? There is a great post as to why "creatives" need to build  trbie of 1,000. It is the "microcelebrity" phenomenon.
I intend to know all 2,000 of our tribe members. How will I do that? By allowing them access to comment and be heard. Then I will amplify their comments on our websites, blogs, publications, etc.
I want the tribe to have unfettered access so it takes on the closeness and camaraderie that one sees with RPG communities.
What will a tribemember be called? I'm not sure. I hesitate to call them "fans". I'm not sure that's the right description. I need more than fans. People who will buy everything GGE produces, not as an obligation, but because they trust us to tell kick ass stories that will not disappoint. Then they will let themselves be heard. Loved it. Hated it. Whatever. Maybe a tribemember will decide to become a writer based on their interaction with GGE and we can partner with them to promote their work. Sounds like the ultimate team-based, tribal win-win scenario.
Someone will have to be first. Can I build a tribe one person at a time? I hope to.


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Bad Ideas

This is a great post from Seth Godin about bad ideas. I don't even have to give it a huge intro. You need to just go read it. The briefest synopsis would be that one has to be willing to generate lots of bad ideas in order to land on a good one. You should read it from Seth though. He says it so much better than me.
Let's spend a minute making it relevant to writing though. Maby people feel liek failed writers because they write a book and then can't sell it. Maybe it's not the right book for right now. Write another and another and another. Maybe the first one would be a better second or third book. Keep generating stuff and eventually you will hit the right stuff.
Now go read Seth's blog.



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The 2010 you

Looking towards 2010. We have a few days to plan, but it is a good week to figure out what the 2010 You will look like versus the 2009 You. For me, I hope to keep up my exercising and strike a balance with the family life and writing so that I can progress in all of those areas.
Of course, as I near New Year's Day, I will develop a better and more exact list with deliverables and timelines. I will check how I did against last year's goals. I think I made good progress on some...and others, not so much. Of course I always have some stretch goals out there. Those that, were they to come true right now, would dramatically alter my situation for the better.
So, let's make a pact...spend the next few minutes thinking of some goals. Write them down. We'll revisit them on New Year's Eve, before the partying really starts, and see where we stand.


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Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, 2009. What a great time to reflect on family, the previous year and great things to come. Probably not a lot of writing, creating, etc getting done today. Today is the day for feasting, visiting with friends and family and calling relatives (or connecting via FB, Twitter or whatever your social networking vehicle of choice happens to be).

So, Merry Christmas! To my Warhammer friends, Happy Keg End! Drink hearty and let's look forward to First Quaff!



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The Fright Before Christmas

First off, I have to explain that no one has ever accused Green or Gates of GreenGates as being "normal" people. Gates (me) is an ubergeek fanboy. Fortunately, unlike some ubergeek fanboys, I do engage in some "mainstream" activities like "exercise" and "personal hygiene".
Green on the other hand, while also being an ubergeek, is also deeply into his "horror" phase. I say it is a phase since that is what we all thought when he was thirteen years old and started to get into all things horror-movie related. That was almost thirty years ago, so I guess as "phases" go, this one is a long one.
Still, I wanted to share the little gift that is being delivered to Green's door as we speak. A bit macabre, but believe me, it fits with the decor at his humble abode.
I picked it up from thinkgeek.com, a great shopping site for all things "geeky" (a tauntaun sleeping bag anyone? "It may smell bad, but it'll keep you warm")
So here it is...right out of a classic horror film. Tell me Green won't love this little item.


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Mr. Mom

I try to make some sort of entry everyday. I have spent the last 48 hours being Mr. Mom at the Gates house and I am just too tired to be witty or creative...let's try again tomorrow



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A Writer's Vacation

So, I am officially on vacation this week. How best to spend a vacation when you are a writer, artist, creator? Of course, relaxation has to be part of it so I will be attempting to detach myself from all of the things that stress me out.
The problem with that is that as a writer, I write to relax so I also have to make time to write, work on the GGE website (construction proceeds - check it out here) and of course, to blog. I would miss my daily chronicle of life in/at GGE.
So, for the rest of you on vacation this holiday season - relax, eat well, drink well (but not too heavily), get some rest, maybe exercise and definitely write, draw, play music and flex whatever creative muscle you like to use the most. It's a magical time of year and it will probably be reflected in your creations this week.


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Awesome story

This story is just amazing. I love stuff like this. A guy makes a 4 minutes video for $300.00. Uploads it on Thursday to youtube.com and by Monday, Hollywood is emailing. He ends up with a $30 million deal with Sam Raimi's company.

It's not often that you hear about true overnight success like that. Most of us hone our craft and delve in obscurity, all but begging for attention and when the attention comes, it is rarely to the delight and accolades of all.

Still, it's an inspiring story and a good reminder to keep plugging away and keep producing...then get it in front of people and let them do the rest. If it's truly remarkable and can go "viral" then Hollywood may come calling!




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Sherlock Holmes

I have been a Sherlock Holmes fan for a long time. Not the Basil Rathbone, deerstalker-cap Holmes, though he is a good version. I mean the real deal. The Arthur Conan Doyle one. The chain smoking, drinking, cocaine-snorting, opium-smoking, boxer who could have been a great actor but turned his scientific knowledge into solving crimes. He's an expert marksman, a single-stick fighting expert and a student of observation and deductive reasoning. He was a welterweight boxing champ and when he gets mad, he gets REALLY mad. Kind of reminds me of Batman.
So, when I saw the previews for the upcoming movie with Holmes the way I envisioned him, like an action star. And Watson...Watson was always chasing skirts and married at least twice. He was a former soldier, a heckuva surgeon and no slouch with a revolver.
So, on the 25th, expect to see me in the theater with two of my oldest pals (Holmes and Watson)



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WETA Rayguns

Have you seen these things by WETA? These replicas of rayguns, swords and all sorts of sci-fi goodness? These aren't toys. They are replicas right out of our collective sci-fi imagination. Here is a link to the "Victorious Mongoose".
These things are just beautiful. I would love to see a room dedicated to these. This whole line is very inspiring to me. I can only imagine how the decision to start this awesome line of collectibles began...

"So they're toys?
"Nope. Not toys. replicas of how a death ray might look if a real mad scientist built it."
"They're for adults"
"Adults. Kids at heart. For display only. They don't do anything."
"And what do they cost?"
"A bunch. They are made from high grade stuff. Again, the goal here is to make a sci-fi weapon that looks real, but like it stepped out of a Flash Gordon serial."
"But death rays aren't real."
"Exactly. But lots of people wish they were real. And if they were, they should look like our designs."
"Look man, no one is going to pay that kind of money for what a "real" imaginary thing would look like. Not unless it is a toy. This is never going anywhere."
"Well, you know what, I believe in this model. I have a passion for these things and I am gong to launch with one gun and we'll see where it goes from there"


...And the rest is history. Check out the website. There is a ton of stuff there as well as tie-in novels and artbooks and all kinds of stuff because whoever envisioned this world has such a great vision and the world is so immersive that we, as fans, want to spend more time there and we are willing to pay big bucks to do it.

Kind of a lesson for all of us about following your passion I think.



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Teen Wolf for TV

Just read that a Teen Wolf series is in development. Apparently it has already cast the star (Tyler Posey). What excites me though is that the TV series is reported as being darker than the original movie (or the sequel). It has me in mind of Buffy The Vampire Slayer where the original movie was pretty campy, but the series was dark, esgy and awesome. Some camp snuck in late in the series, but that seems to be the fate of all good shows eventually.

So, I am looking forward to Teen Wolf. I love reboots, especially when they go from campy to "darker".




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Another Seth Godin link

Anyone who has spent much time here has seen their share of Seth Godin links. This one comes with a free ebook. Link to Seth's blog to get the book. It is called "What Matters Now" and it is a book of thoughts by some great thinkers, innovators, commentators and entrepreneurs about what is important now. Definitely a good book to read going into the New Year. Maybe some resolutions in there.

So go check it out. It's only 82 pages so we're not talking about a huge time investment. For anyone thinking about doing business, making more of themselves or just making a difference it's a great book. Go get inspired.


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Failure

Sell any books today? Nah, me neither. I didn't sell any because I don't have any in publication right now. I am working to correct that, and I will get something out there in 2010.

Why am I so sure? Because I have to. I read a quote that reminded me that it is better to have a "failure of ambition" than a "failure of inactivity". I might have been too inactive in 2009. In 2010, if I fail, I want my failure to be that I was too ambitious.


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The 4-Hour Workweek

Just started reading the book "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss. I devoured it!

It is tailored a bit to the entreprenuerial type, but it guides you through some ideas for businesses you can start. It also applies really well to employees.

Of course, my first thought was "4-hour work week" seems to good to be true, and if it seems to good to be true, then it probably is.

I am happy to say that the book changed my mind. I could even see a ton of these principles applying to GGE. Say we decided to produce our own books. Pay for PPC (pay-per-click) advertising through google to our niche group of readers. Sell our Ebooks to those readers. And make all of that automatic. Then the actual running of the business would be pretty automatic and I could just write. We could outsource things like marketing, editing and cover design. Sounds like a potential business plan. Would people buy our stuff? Well, that part is up to me I guess.


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Digg is up and running

Well, it looks like I got the Digg button to work. It took me a couple of tries. I am not a complete expert on it yet, but I think it works. Of course, as I found out, people have to have a Digg account to "digg" a story, but if no one else minds if the Digg  button is at the bottom of posts, then I suppose I will leave it for now. As I write more, we'll see.
Right now, I like the idea of people being able to Digg something I write. I try and put informative stuff out here at times that might appeal to other writers, entrpreneurs or "creatives". I would like to be able to share that stuff.
So...if you see something you like...digg it!


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another try

Okay. Let's see if I got this right. If I did, then I can dig this.


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Trying out Digg

Wanting to add "Digg" to the blog so people can digg things I write (lkeeping my fingers crossed on that one). The way it works is people "digg" an item and then the best of "digg" shows up on their website, but also gets emailed out to people who have opted in to recive Digg updates. It is a way to get just news stories which others have "validated" for you by reading and digging them. So, let's tryi it out!

Fitting it all in

How do you fit in writing, blogging, managing your website, studying the craft of writing and of course indulging inreading and watching various forms of entertainment to better hone your craft?

For me, it involves either late nights or early mornings before family and other obligations start wearing away my time. Unfortunately, way to often, my exercise is the first thing I sacrifice to spend time at the keyboard.

Of course, as the picture on the left demonstrates, caffeine is often involved as well.

It is a difficult balance for anyone trying to create as well as earn a living. It requires scheduling and discipline in following your schedule, but then you have to know when to blow it all off and live a little as well.

If someone finds the perfect balance, let me know!

The Eyes of God

I have picked this book by John Marco up multiple times with the intention of reading it. I always put it back down until I read a review that likened the three main characters to King Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere.

Well, for an Arthurian fan like myself, that was too tempting to pass up so I dove right in. I have to say that the comparison is a good one, and the book itself is fantastic.

It has a really good mix of fantasy and knights and politics and magic and all that good stuff as well as having some familiar elements from our own world reflected in the cultures described in the book. It is an extremely immersive book and I would compare it to George RR Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series, which is my favorite series of all time (even compared to this one, sorry John Marco).

So, GGE says - pick this book up and read it, but after you have read George RR Martin's series and after Joe Abercrombie's series. If you are craving good fantasy action with a dose of an Arthurian type love triangle that is pulled off in a really good way, check this book out!

New stuff

Well, I have been hard at work on the website. Hopefully the work shows. If the website looks less than stellar, that is because we are attempting to develop all of the content "in house". It is part due to cost, but also due to the notion that we want to be at least expert enough to do most of our own work. Makes us less dependent, more marketable. Overhead and all that jazz. If you need the link (it's in the upper right hand corner) here it is!

I promise not all talk will be about the website though. I am just geeked right now with the progress so I am a bit enthusiastic.

I watched "Terminator: Salvation" this past week. If you are a fan of the Terminator series, then you must see this movie. It is a great addition to the canon and the appearance of the T800 is not to be missed. I jumped off the couch. Movie magic at its best.
It is an awesome story with really great characters and if Kyle Reese was not already cool enough, this movie elevates him straight to superhero.

Other than that, this weekend saw lots of Christmas shopping. As my wife points out, I have passed on a good deal of my geek hood to my children, but popular items on the list of GGE kids are

• Redwall stuff (books, dvds, posters...Redwall mania is ON at my house)
• Star Wars Legos (note - this link has a cool online gaame and movie)
• Indiana Jones Legos
• Indiana Jones 2 - The Adventure Continues (for the Wii)
• Star Wars Turbo Tank
• Imaginarium Castle
• Star Wars Galactic Heroes
• Barbie (for the GGE Princess)
• Eyeclops Mini Projector
• Air hogs Zero G Laser Car
• Air hogs Switchblade
• My Sims Agents for the Wii
• Littlest Pet Shop
• My Little Pony
• And of course Zhu Zhu Pets (Good luck finding these) NOTE - some concern about Zhu Zhu pets and safety. click here to read about the safety alerts.

For Dad, the popular items are

• Assassin's Creed 2
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Dragon Age
• Star Trek DVD

Maybe next year, some GGE items will be available for those Christmas lists!

Official GGE Website

GGE's website is finally up! I spent this weekend getting the final touches done on the initial stages of a GGE website...huh? That means it is still pretty rough, but I felt like it was time to put something out there about what we are doing at GGE. We talk a lot on this blog about what other people are doing, but now you can get a preview of what WE are doing right here.

What will you find there? Some info on our four main storylines we are working on (and more as we add them). There is artwork from some of our stories as well as concept sketches and soon there will be fiction available both on the site and as a free .pdf download.

Finally, while you are there, sign up for the newsletter and get the GGE coolness delivered right to your inbox!

Back from hiatus

Hey, been off for a month! It has been a bit refreshing, but also very weird not blogging about this-n-that and sending my opinions out into the ether for all to see.
I haven't been totally on vacation. I have been editing like crazy, working on our current project set in GGE's own world of Grimaul.
Hey, I also submitted a "wondrous item" to the RPG Superstar 2010 contest at Paizo Publishing.
I have been oretty effusive in my praise of Paizo for awhile now and this was a chance for me to at least gt involved by submitting an item for the Pathfinder RPG. We'll see how that goes.
For anyone interested in submitting, check out this link

Paizo Publishing RPG Superstar

Round One in the competition is to submit a "wondrous item" - you experienced RPGers out there probably know what that means, but for those that don't, it is a magic item like Bilbo's Ring or King Arthur's scabbard (that healed him - a gift from Morgan) or the Cauldron that brought people back from the dead in "The Black Cauldron".
It has to be within the rules of the Pathfinder RPG, but don't let that intimidate you, there are plenty of resources on the website to get you going.
I'll pot my item once the first round is done. Hopefully by then, we'll be into the second round! Stiff competition though. Some seriously creative folks on the Paizo site.