Bill McCormick's Blog, page 15

A McGift for McYou

If you get my newsletter via email all you’ll need to do is reply, as instructed in the next paragraph, to claim your gift. If, however, you’re one of the thousands who read my updates via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook then you’ll need to send an email to info@mcscifibooks.com with your choice of prize in the subject line.

Because I appreciate you, today I’m letting you choose between two super cool prizes. If you choose TBR you’ll get a PDF of the Omnibus edition of The Brittle Riders, all 948 pages of it. If, on the other hand, you choose LP then you’ll get a PDF of the trade paperback, an omnibus for comics, of Legends Parallel. 100 pages of joy featuring a photo shoot of Phystee Nicole Brown, the body model for Ms. Oshun in the comics. She’s not nude, but she doesn’t need to be.

This offer is valid only until 5:00 PM (CDT) February 7, 2022. One prize per human.

About The Brittle Riders.

“So, if I get this, you’ve got lesbians, poly amorists, Muslims, sorry Muslim cows, giant Christian cockroaches, and so on, fighting for the betterment of all who live? I’ll never admit this publicly, but I’m glad we’ve got a president who thinks you’ve got the right idea. Great story, kept me buried in it, and I just ordered hard copies for the den. Some day you can sign them. You’re a strange guppy, but you do write like a pro. Semper Fi, crazy stranger.”
– Brig. Gen. R (active duty)

“This is a story where old meets new, where religion meets science in an epic story of what happened ‘after’ our world changed. It is masterfully written with attention to detail and it sympathetically manages to bridge the gap between faith and technology.”
– L. L. Thomsen

About Legends Parallel.

There is much to ponder here in terms of thought-provoking issues of race, sexuality, culture and society’s attitudes to history and relationships.

You want anthropological context and sociological commentary? This has jugs of it.

But, yeah… BOOBS.
– Zak Weber – Sci Fi Comics Nexus

Legends Parallel has a bit of everything in it really; rich tech genius, meta humans with superpowers, and parallel universes. Most, if not all of these, are stand alone themes that can carry a book but McCormick has crafted a story that intertwines all of them together in a way that gives them all meaning to the story yet room to develop all aspects on their own terms. With the presence of a rich tech genius and parallel worlds it’s easy to guess who the hero is and where the bad guys came from but the writing isn’t predictable and the plot is intricate.
– Ian Yarington – Comic Booked Dot Com

You may notice I can delicately blend the scatological and the philosophical. It’s my thing.

With The Brittle Riders now being officially shopped to film and television production companies, and Legends Parallel making a long awaited come back, now seemed like a good time to share.

In, semi-related, good news, last year marked the first time my online store sold enough merch that I needed to pay taxes. I found that stupidly exhilarating. All those people running around advertising McSciFi and I’m getting paid for it. New times call for new paradigms.

So, in summation, reply to this or send an email to info@mcscifibooks.com to claim your prize. You’ve stuck by me for years, you’ve earned it.

BTW, congrats to the Bengals and the Rams for opening the seventh portal of the apocalypse and making it to the Super Bowl. I’m sure Cthulhu won’t even notice.

Until next week, stay safe and sane.

McSciFi in the McMovies?

As many McFans know, SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY is destined to be a movie. I was hired to write a script by ©Watchdog Entertainment® before I wrote the book. They didn’t do that to kill some time. They did that to make a movie. And, now, as the world slowly gets back to normal, they can begin ascertaining viable options. There are people who write me weekly asking about the status. While annoying as hell, it’s also flattering. They’ve read it, loved it, and want more.

In December an agency reached out to me to discuss optioning out some of my work to a film production company. After some healthy back and forth, and a few fun international Zoom calls, we have decided to move forward with The Brittle Riders. Specifically, the Omnibus edition. Or, the thousand page doorstop version. Which, by the way, you’ll be able to purchase as a paperback starting next week.

As anyone who’s been in the entertainment industry knows, an initial option is slightly less binding than a pick up line at three A.M. in a bar. That said, there are some reasons for hope. First, unlike many agencies I’m encountered, they aren’t hoovering up content at random. They have a small roster, all in various stages of development. Second, I was given free access to that roster so I could discuss my concerns and get a feel for how they were being treated.

Barring someone having too much money and too little sense, this will be targeted at cable TV or a streaming platform. That would work best as some parts of the story are terse, allowing the reader to fill in the details as they please. As one author said, “McCormick says more in twelve words than others do in twelve paragraphs.” So, in the end, you have around a thousand pages of terse prose and that’s all going to need to be unpacked.

Anyway, they are in the process of creating a script. That’s not a job I’d wish on anyone, but they volunteered. When things get a little more concrete I’ll start sharing details. Until then, all I can ask is for you to wish me luck.

Until next week, stay safe, sane, and inside as much as possible. Oh, yeah, wear a mask and get vaxxed.

Saying Goodbye to a Friend and Some McUpdates

The McSciFi multiverse lost one of its brightest lights. Pidge, the literature loving pigeon – shown below reading SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY, passed away on January 6 after a brief battle with illness.

Pidge’s human, Bart Davis, seen holding the book so Pidge could read, is obviously gutted. Pidge had been his faithful friend for over a decade.

One of the bright spots of doing what I do is people share some very random stuff. And each and every one points out why what they’ve shared is special. So, if you can spare a prayer, or kind thought, send one up for Pidge.

More below.

As many of you know my novels are published by Azoth Khem and most of my comics come out on Hadithi Sambamba.

As 2019 came to a close we all ramped up our inventory stock. We’d had a great year at various conventions and were looking to go bigger and better.

That wasn’t magical thinking. We were getting invites from larger cons.

As you may have heard, the pandemic hit. Cons started closing left and right and people began locking themselves inside. Along the way I had dear friends die.

That’ll make you cautious.

As we stumbled into 2020-Too, I began checking out cons that had started opening up. I was less than pleased. While many of the creators were masked and practicing social distancing, many of the guests were not and there seemed to be no method in place to enforce anything.

Moreover, I have a buddy, vaxxed and boosted, who just spent a week and a half in the hospital over the holidays, thanks to Omicron. Not the gift anyone wants.

I’m getting married this summer and am not willing to risk my health, or the health of people I love.

Until things get safer, I’ll just keep manning my online store and praying for this nightmare to end.

Until next week, stay safe and sane.

Happy McNew Year and I Need Your McVotes

Howdy Ho and welcome back. I hope you had a pleasant holiday season. Here in the McSciFi compound we had a wonderful time. Sadly, due to COVID related issues, we were unable to meet with family members. That means Christmas will be delayed for a bit. Which is okay, we’ll just leave the tree up with the gifts underneath until we can deliver them.

One thing that did get done was starting the year off right. Media legend, JoAnn Genette, interviewed me for her show, The Mightiest Nightiest Show. Unlike other interviews there were game show elements involved. From “who wore it better” to “name those boobs,” we covered a lot of ground in the half-hour I was there. Another first, I made it through the entire interview without dropping an F-bomb. We’ll see how long that lasts.

Now to the important stuff.

Last year, SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY was voted the Best Sci-Fi Novel of 2020 by the Critters’ Readers’ Poll. While Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek, the fourth novel in the Brittle Riders Trilogy, didn’t get nominated this year, I’m still represented and would love for you to take a minute out of your day to vote for me.

ICC Magazine, which claims me as their assistant editor, is up for the Critters’ award for best non-fiction magazine. If you CLICK HERE you can cast a vote for all that’s good and holy in the world. Or, less dramatically, for ICC Magazine.

Sci-Fi Lampoon, which has printed several of my short stories and will be including my magnum opus, THE WRITER’S STUFF in their upcoming anthology, THE FUCKENING, is up for Best Fiction Magazine. If you CLICK HERE you can vote for them too, and you should.

Time, once again, for a reminder. Whenever the rights to my stories revert back to me I post them online for all to read for free. All you have to do is CLICK HERE to wallow in the awesomeness of it all. And, I’ll be honest, even if you never pay for anything I’ve had published I’m still happy if you enjoy these offerings. You’re not stealing from me. I’ve been paid, and I’d rather you enjoy them than just have them rot on my hard drive.

Finally, as you can see by the images below, people love wearing McSciFi gear or rolling around, scantily clad, in form fitting latex while reading autographed copies of my comics. Not to limit you in any way, I should also note you can roll around, scantily clad, in form fitting latex and read my novels too.

Really, if it makes you happy, it makes me happy.

Until next week, you do you. Stay safe, sane, and inside, and try not to catch COVID .. or the flu … or chlamydia … or … never mind, you get the idea.

Just stay safe. I’m getting kind of fond of you.

The McYear in Review

2021 started with a bang. SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY was voted Best Science Fiction Novel of 2020 by the Critters’ Readers’ Poll. As the name suggests, it is a poll based on what readers liked. As an author there’s not much better praise.

Also in 2021 we found out that some countries are allowing people to buy paperback versions of The Brittle Riders: Omnibus Edition. Which is cool, I’ll admit. However we have no idea which countries they are.

That’s okay, being clueless kind of works around here. For example, we know certain Walmart stores are carrying SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY on their shelves, but we have no idea which ones. So far we have one random confirmation from a fan in Northern Kentucky.

This is the year I was brought on board to write Marcie’s Marvels. While the real life story of Marcie is tragic, she killed herself after being sexually assaulted and bullied, her mother didn’t want that to be the final word. After a lengthy search we found Eko Prihanto to do the art. His brightly colored panels worked perfectly with the compelling story. Zak Weber, over in jolly old England, gave the resulting comic high marks.

In a completely different vein, I was hired to create a fictional universe for a very real, if I may use that phrase, new collection of NFTs known as Cat Punk. This is a prime example of the Internet working. The main team is based in Viet Nam, I’m in Chicago, and there was never a lag on getting stuff approved and published. In fact it all went so well we’re looking at possibly doing it again in 2022. Until then you can CLICK HERE to read what I hath wrought. The stories are short but the plot is epic.

A fun capper on the year was having the nationally renowned publicist Desirae Benson take pity on me and make me available to her many media contacts. I’ve already done one interview with, award winning blogger, Marc Polite. This looks like the beginning of a wonderful relationship.

Back in October of 2010 I was invited to join a wacky radio show called The Big Wakeup Call. What started as a fun way to kill some time on Friday mornings, at 9:10 AM (CDT), turned into a must hear event with over 40,000 listeners. Now, international bon vivant and man about town also known as the host, Ryan Gatenby has parlayed this into an international podcast hosted, in part, by I-Heart Radio. For Ryan this is his path to well deserved fame and fortune. For me it’s a way to annoy more people than ever before. I see this as a win win situation.

I, like you, have no clue what 2022 will bring. But I will admit to being kind of stoked to find out.

Thank you very much for hanging in there with, and supporting, me. If it wasn’t for you I’d probably be flipping burgers, on the late shift, in Utah. I’ll be the first to admit, this is better.

If you would like a complimentary SPLICE wearable bracelet, just email me to get my address so you can send me a self-addressed-stamped-envelope and I’ll fill it with a couple of bracelets. Great, if confusing, gifts for the holidays.

From all me to all of you, Happy Holidays!

Getting McPersonal

Nationally renowned publicist, Desirae Benson, took pity on me and began telling her audience I was worth knowing. That prompted award winning blogger, Marc Polite, to interview me. If you click on his name it will take you directly to the interview which was brief, thorough, and fun.

In non-narcissistic news today, as you’re reading this I will be in the hospital having a through and through performed. For the uninitiated that’s an endoscopy, camera down your throat, and a colonoscopy, camera up your butt. If they meet in the middle I’m in trouble.

I have been having gastrointestinal issues since April resulting in my being briefly hospitalized in June. My doctor wanted to do this procedure by August but, thanks to COVID, beds for elective surgery have to be booked months in advance. So, after months of discomfort, I am finally going to start getting some answers.

Once we get these answers then my other docs can get started on a plan to strengthen my knees and hip, which are weaker than kittens at the moment, then, hopefully, I can go on a diet and lose weight so I’ll be hella sexy when I get married on July 9th.

While I used to be cavalier when it came to my mortality I find, now, I have reasons to live and I’ll be marrying one of them next summer. Plus, my writing is finally starting to get the attention we all hoped it would. Simply put, now would be an inopportune time to cash my final ticket.

Consider me greedy, but I don’t want to be posthumously famous. I want to live long enough to enjoy some good things in life. And that means I need to take better care of myself.

Next week I’ll dive into the holiday stuff everyone knows and loves. But, until then, stay safe, sane, and inside. Also, GET VAXXED!

Happy McHoliday Season!

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. While the history of the holiday is problematic, the chance to share time with family and friends is not to be discounted. Kim, she’s my fiancée, and I finally convinced skeptical humans we are finally getting married next July 9th. We’ve picked the church, the minister, the processional music, the organist, and the outfits. I wanted to wear a tux featuring pink skulls but was outvoted, infinity to one, against that. Oh well, a boy can dream.

As I’m typing this Marcie’s Marvels is taking advantage of a national promotional campaign, run by Desirae Benson, and meeting with multiple representatives in the entertainment industry. While nothing is ever guaranteed, this kind of notice for a first issue is unprecedented.

The real story of Marcie Jonea Gerald is tragic. She committed suicide at fifteen years of age after being sexually abused and later harassed. Her mother, Elizabeth Gerald, didn’t want that to be her daughter’s final legacy. She started the MJG Movement which is dedicated to serving as a resource for children and families who are victims of sexual abuse and suicide. They welcome you to join them on their mission to educate, encourage, prevent, and heal!

More below.

In other comic book news, Cyril Brown the creator of the Hybrid Zero multiverse, has started a new sideline. He will be creating custom pin ups of his characters as well as anything your little heart and wallet desires.

In an effort to tease you into sharing your hard earned cash with him you can now read Hybrid Zero: Juggernaut, Jungle Grrl, and Cassandra and the Changeling Sword for free online.

Here’s what British comic book reviewer, Zak Weber had to say about Hybrid Zero: Juggernaut.

Hybrid Zero from writer Bill McCormick and storyteller/artist Cyril Brown is a comical tale for mature readers (McCormick also brought us the boob-tastic Legends Parallel) but there is much more here than just sex jokes in space. We are introduced to a complex interspecies society with a variety of different cultures, rituals and social norms. All is not rosy in this grand arena; human separatists are protesting for the preservation of the human body from technological modifications. On planet Cerks the Quterion troops are accused of excessive use of force in quashing a rebellion, earning themselves a reputation as aggressive demons… which might explain Zoe’s penchant for destruction whenever she is given half a chance, as the robot defenders of her grandfather’s garden soon discover.

How will she fare against whatever mysterious being has stepped through the portal her aunt has ripped in the fabric of spacetime? If she fails, what are the consequences for the fate of the universe?

Central to the story are the relationships between Zoe and her parents, in particular their unconventional marriage and somewhat questionable parenting: what kind of mother designs her own child’s body as a weapon?

Brown’s art is an unrestrained explosion of Expressionist fervour, portraying hyper-expansive worldbuilding and surreal sensuality. He also created the characters and conceived the original story, so this is from the heart, and it shows. It’s not all cartoony spectacle, though, he also excels at vast, atmospheric futuristic cityscapes and complex exotic architecture and infrastructures. There is plenty here to delight the eye …

Especially if you like extremely over-the-top space operas that include characters with unfeasibly large body parts.

That’s enough for today. Until next week please stay safe, sane, and inside as much as possible.

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Loving McLibraries

First, some good news for the beleaguered among you. I will be taking next week off. Of course, if you find yourself craving some red-hot McSciFi, you can just CLICK HERE to wallow in the awesomeness of it all.

Last week we began the Azoth Khem library promotion. Even after removing duplicates, and people who have other things to do, we still have a list of over 17,000 active librarians and book buyers. Since Azoth is listed in Baker and Taylor, America’s premiere book seller for libraries, librarians know they can trust the seller to deliver promptly and at a fair price.

Last week we introduced them to SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY. If you click that link you’ll see the same promo page librarians see. You’ll also note there are no purchase links. That’s because the only way you can buy is to have your library in the Baker and Taylor system. Since librarians know that, and there’s a reminder in the cover letter just in case, all they need are the ISBNs to plug into the search engine. Once they do that all the coo-coo coolness surrounding the title will be revealed.

This week they will be introduced to The Brittle Riders. Since the Omnibus is not available in print in most countries, we are just offering the trilogy. Nevertheless, people seem to like that option. Carrying around a normal sized book, as opposed to 1,200+ pages of a dystopian hellscape, is easier on the biceps I’m told.

When I get back we’ll introduce them to Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek. That will complete their immersion into all things McSciFi for a while. After that we’ll introduce them to the rest of the Azoth Khem catalog.

Then it just becomes a slate of monthly updates to remind them we’re still alive and kicking. While this is a slow process, as libraries all get funding and make purchases on different schedules, the end result should be worth it. Besides, like any task, you can’t succeed if you don’t start.

Until next time, I wish you all nothing but good health, success, and happiness. Oh yeah, wear a mask, social distance, and get vaxxed. The world will like you more if you do.

Help McSciFi Save the McPlanet

  I recently participated in a fun interview with Karina Kantas, of Behind the Pen. She interviews people she knows nothing about and tries to find out about them as the interview progresses. Lots of fun tangents here. I can promise I’ve never done another interview quite like it. Listen and enjoy.

As many of you know, I partnered with Spreadshirts, owners of Spreadshops, a couple of years back to create my merchandise. And, to be honest, it’s one of the few smart things I have done in my life. People order stuff, they handle manufacturing and delivery, guarantee high quality goods, and I don’t have a living room full of T-shirts and crap. A win/win situation as far as I’m concerned

Now, they’re teaming up with TeamSeas on a mission to remove 30 million pounds of trash from the ocean. Every $1 donated = 1 pound of trash removed! Can we all band together to raise $30,000,000 in 2 months?! Of course we can.

You can donate directly at Team Seas Dot Org or, and this is the fun part, Spreadshop is donating $1 for every water bottle sold in Spreadshops worldwide from October 29th – December 31st, 2021.

Depending on how you want your water bottle festooned, you can go to the McSciFi Shop, the Legends Parallel Shop, or the Hybrid Zero Shop. All three are proud to participate in this promotion.

Hey, it’s our planet too and there is no second option at the moment.

More below.

Two fun things I need to share and then you can get back to your coffee.

First, as you read this, my publisher, Azoth Khem is launching a promotion to almost twenty thousand libraries across America and making discounted copies of their catalog available to them. To avoid confusion they will be promoting one book at a time. Today they’re promoting SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY.

Second, this Thursday, November 11, 2021, at 11 AM (UTC), Catpunk will be going live. This is an exciting opportunity for investors to get a brand new NFT and have it supported by a stable cryptocurrency, Solana.

Plus, and this is the fun part, you can now read up on the entire universe I created as a backstory. When you CLICK HERE you’ll be taken to a world unlike any you’ve ever encountered. Microchips, gangs, ninjas, and strippers are only the beginning.

I had a blast creating this world and I hope you’ll enjoy it. If nothing else, it’s a rare chance to read my stuff for free.

Until next week, stay sane, inside when possible, and get vaxxed. I’m kind of fond of you and would like to keep you around.

I’m selfish like that.

McSciFi’s Going McGlobal!

Regular readers of my weekly missives are already aware that I’ve been creating a fictional universe for the Vietnamese owned NFT Cryptocurrency Cat Punk. Even though it hasn’t gone completely public, that happens on November 11, people are already writing fan fiction based on my stories. This is an exciting project and one I’m honored to be a part of. Thanks Internet!

In the “No way I saw this coming” department I have been hired by Chief Doctor Quinton Tamba Taylor de’Alexander of Luffa County in Liberia to create a comic book based on his incredible journey from, internationally renowned, Chicago fashion designer to Chief of one of the largest tribes in Liberia and a sponsor of four elementary schools. It’s a story unlike any other and it’s turning out to be a lot of fun to write.

Prior to to becoming Chief, Dr. de’Alexander had already begun his charity, We Dream in Color Foundation.

Project “We Live And Remember In Color” groundbreaking mission is to unify the awareness colors of health and humanity in one ribbon. Our objective is to stress the importance of knowing your color. Knowing your color is the key to mind and body support, disease prevention, and humanitarian assistance. Because people give most to what matters to them, the project “We Live And Remember In Color” intends to showcase events in collaboration with other organizations in fund raising efforts toward the many “Colors” that affect us all the many COLOR‘s that affect us all.

As you can tell by the logo below, they are talking about far more than the levels of melanin we each have. To accomplish their goals they feed the homeless, host charity galas, and much more. You can get a better idea by clicking here.

More below.

Last week I talked about the great reviews Marcie’s Marvels is getting. The real story of Marcie Jonea Gerald is tragic. She committed suicide at fifteen years of age after being sexually abused and later harassed. Her mother, Elizabeth Gerald, didn’t want that to be her daughter’s final legacy. She started the MJG Movement which is dedicated to serving as a resource for children and families who are victims of sexual abuse and suicide. They welcome you to join them on their mission to educate, encourage, prevent, and heal!

To help facilitate getting the word out, Marcie’s Marvels is now being handled by a 5-Star rated publicist, Desirae L. Benson. Desirae, I can call her by her first name since we bonded over an email, brings a wealth of experience and accolades to bear on Marcie’s Marvels and has already begun securing interviews for Elizabeth so she can tell her daughter’s story to a wider audience.

If you have a blog or magazine and would be willing to review a digital copy, just respond to this email.

As you can tell, things are getting busy in McSciFi-Land, still the world’s oddest amusement park, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Please remember to white-list info@mcscifibooks.com so you don’t miss a thing.

Until next week, stay safe, get vaxxed, and wear a mask.