Bill McCormick's Blog, page 7

Don’t McDo What I McDid

Last Wednesday I was suffering continuing chest pains coupled with shortness of breath. This had been going on for a couple of weeks. Instead of going to the emergency room like my wife and doctor wanted, I blew it off so my wife could take the car and get her hair done. This made complete sense in my tiny mind. If YOU think I’m an idiot, chat with my wife. It took all her self control not to kill me herself when she figured it out.

Still, to get everyone off my hairy back, I promised to go to the hospital by 8:00 AM Thursday. I figured I’d be in and out and could still make an afternoon teleconference about The Brittle Riders. After all, this was clearly no big deal and I was sure the doctors would call me a hypochondriac and kick my flabby ass to the curb.

That was a minor miscalculation on my part. My wife moved up my admittance time to 5:00 AM to beat the traffic. Within an hour of my arrival I was hooked up to two different types of heart monitors. One for continued observation of my BP and pulse and another for multiple EKGs. These were all deemed important after the first doctor, and this is true, listened to my heart and couldn’t find it. She only heard echoes. It was there, I’m not that odd, but it had slid off axis for a variety of reasons that seemed vitally important to the medical staff at Advocate Trinity Hospital.

Over the course of the day I was given a total of thirty-one tests, including one cognitive. I guess I had that one coming all things considered. By the time my wife went home the doctors were speaking to each other in hushed tones around my bed and then would turn, smile wanly, and tell me everything was going to be fine. I did not believe them.

Also, as to the meeting I’d mentioned, I sent them the below photo of me in the hospital as my excuse for blowing them off. They were very polite, as well as mildly amused, and agreed to try again this week.

Friday morning, after one test got canceled, a nurse interrupted my breakfast by asking if there was anyone I would prefer to read my last rites. Well, if I was going to be wrong about everything at least I was spectacularly wrong.

By Friday afternoon the light at the end of the tunnel was no longer an oncoming train. They thought they’d figured it out and my medications and treatments were changing on the fly. By the time my lovely bride came to visit me I was feeling better, had some color in my skin, and was in a pretty good mood.

Long story short, I have a blood clot in my right calf which is being treated with blood thinners. They figure they will kill the little bastard without requiring surgery. Also, my meds had conspired to kill me by blending together in my kidneys – one of them was not supposed to do that, but what the hell, party on folks! – and releasing toxins that were causing my heart to clutch which caused me to have trouble breathing. Toxins removed, clutching gone, breathing was and is easier. As I write this I am on day three of some minor changes and a using a new way to take my pain meds. Today, I walked down a short flight of stairs without needing a railing for the first time in years. So, yeah, I’m a fan.

Obviously, I need to give a hearty shout out to all the doctors, nurses, techs, and staff at Advocate Trinity Hospital. They had never seen me before, knew nothing about me, but between accessing my medical history and asking pointed questions, every test, every action, became aimed at getting my flabby ass upright and out the door in better shape than it came in. And, if they couldn’t accomplish that, they at least tried to save my tortured soul.

More importantly, I need to thank God for my wife. Without her I have no real reason to live. She’s even the reason I keep writing. I might not under other circumstances. Simply put, this might have all gone horribly wrong without her in my life.

Nevertheless, I’m easing back into the McSciFi stuff so, until next week, don’t be me.

More McFilms for McSciFi

Last week, I talked about my relationship with comics and how much it meant to me to be a part, no matter how small, of that industry. And, while I may not be in the same realm as Marvel and DC, I do have some fans. If you visit Nerdanatix, Hadithi Sambamba’s west coast distributor, you’ll note Legends Parallel is still in the “Sweet 16” when views and sales are combined. Eight years after its initial release and people still clamor for it.

That may not mean much to you, but to the various and sundry industry professionals I’ve been bludgeoning with the pilot script for The Brittle Riders it’s been worth noting. The level of notice has varied from “That’s cool” to “Can I read it” to this latest interaction.

This is the resulting conversation between an exec (speaker #1) and me (speaker #2).

My guess would be every three issues could be a one hour show.

I could see that, I guess.

That means the twelve planned issues would make four shows.

Yeah, that makes sense.

So, tell me, how far along are you with the script?

(not the brightest bulb in God’s chandelier) What script?

(slightly flustered) Legends Parallel. For Christ’s sake, I thought you were smart.

People make that mistake all the time. That said, I haven’t written a line.

Insert healthy pause.

Look, you’re shopping a massive project. To be fair it’s one that people love but has a budget and commitment level that makes marriage look like a one night stand. Legends is affordable, will attract A-list celebs, and will get your name in the door and on checks that clear.

That sounds good.

No, that sounds like you should write the fucking thing.

…

So I wrote the fucking thing.

I sent a first draft to Hadithi Sambamba Comix last night. It’s rough. There are things you can do in comic book scripts that don’t work at all in a movie script. For example, in comics, you have to give the artist specific directions on how you want the character to be framed, what direction they should face, and so on. If you include those kind of directions in a film script you’ll get a terse email from your director which will read, “Why don’t you direct it yourself? Asshole.”

I could go down the rabbit hole but I’ll save you the angst. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot of work to be done but, if all goes according to plan, we should be sending out PDF copies to those wonderful beta readers who save my ass every time.

Stick around. As you already know, when the going gets weird, I get weirder. Until next week, stay safe and sane.

Fun in the McFunny Papers

Before I start, I feel compelled to congratulate Team Tay Tay for winning the Super Bowl. It was a heck of a game and everyone got the memo that the 49ers are back and here to stay. They followed a rookie quarterback to within a minute of winning it all.

Also, for those who celebrate, enjoy your Mardi Gras and may you have a peaceful Lenten Season.

When I was a kid the Sunday funnies were the highlight of any week. Our house got the Daily News, Sun Times, and Tribune every Sunday. Sure, we’d check sports, an article or two but, mostly, we read the comics. My grandfather had immigrated from Ireland before reaching fourth grade and never had a formal education. However, he could read the comics, and did so with glee.

As the years crept on my love of the art form grew. And, as I matured, so did comics. Adult themes were no longer relegated to the back of porn magazines or underground comics. Marvel and DC both touched on addiction, racism, class warfare and more. And, yes, some of the attempts were heavy handed and missed their marks by miles.

Still, Pandora’s box had been opened and indie creators went where major companies feared to tread. Other changes came into play. Superheroes no longer needed to be tall, svelte, and sexy. They could be fat, short, need glasses, you name it. There is literally something for everyone out there now.

That’s why, when I started writing Legends Parallel in 2016, I tended to be in my happy place. It didn’t matter that my personal life was a train wreck, I was writing comics. Oddly, a story for a different day, writing Legends Parallel allowed me to get my life in order. Brian “Bigger Lion” Daniel, owner of Hadithi Sambamba, tagged me to write other titles. And, much to my surprise, people seem to like them.

When I began shopping The Brittle Riders to film companies I felt it would help to have some images of the characters to give potential producers and investors a better idea of what they were getting into. Our original thought was to hire models and dress them up. Long story short, it would have been cheaper to buy a car. So Brian, along with Tate Rogers, created some animated versions of the characters. We used them as the basis for our pitch deck.

They accomplished their intended use and helped open several conversations. But one such conversation caught me completely by surprise. One of the companies that had turned us down reached out with an interesting proposal. One of their creative partners is an animation studio. A rather large one in fact. They wanted to know if we could send them some materials. That list ended up including the script, all three novels, Goptri of the Mists, parts one and two (part three is still being written), the pitch deck, and Freddy Noriega’s tone reel. Goptri of the Mists is the prequel/sequel to The Brittle Riders but we have never done any character renderings for that series. They tried to create some using AI. Let’s just say the results have been both astounding and useless.

What will happen is anybody’s guess. But this has been one amazing journey. And that has to count for something.

Until next week, stay safe and sane.

Making McMoves and Saying McThanks

I need to begin with a hearty thanks to the staff at Thornton Distilling Company. The Dead Drop / Rock Shop Words & Music Festival drew far more attendees than anticipated and forced staff members to pull double and triple duties. All in all, for a first ever event, it went pretty well. Unlike the lit fest I expected this was more akin to a Turkish Bazaar and that made it more fun. One lady selling custom semi-erotic stickers, near a guy selling hand made holiday cards, next to a guy with non-fiction books about the Sicilian experience, and so on. There was something for everyone, the mood was festive, and your favorite McSciFi caught some love.

One thing I must do is give a shout out to, fellow presenter, Jotham Austin, II who, along with his wife Ginger, went above and beyond the call of duty helping this mobility challenged writer navigate setting things up, assisting my wife so she could get product up numerous flights of stairs and, genuinely, being awesome humans. Then they helped reverse the process so we could go home at the end of the day.

Others helped as well as the day went on, but Jotham stood out.

One decision that got made after the event, and some discussion with the nice folks over at Azoth Khem Publishing, is I’m going to do more events in bars, libraries, and so forth instead of conventions. After paying table fees, badge fees, budgeting for food and hotel costs, and then dealing with vastly reduced numbers of attendees, I’m not seeing the value. To be blunt, at a recent con my bride and I sat unaccosted for over five hours before the first person approached our table. While not every pitch yields a sale, zero pitches in five hours is a waste of time and money.

By comparison, while the turnout at smaller events is numerically less than a con, there are also fewer vendors, so everyone gets some attention and, if you can spike their curiosity for a moment, odds are you’ll make a sale. If nothing else, you’ll get some new blood on your mailing list.

As always, if you can’t make it to any event I’m at, and you still need a McSciFi fix, just head over to my online store and have fun.

Until next time, stay safe and sane.

A Busy McWeek

First off, thanks to the tech support at Morphy Mail for fixing my newsletter link nightmare.

Now, to the important stuff.

This is going to rock. I will be selling, and signing, books at Thornton Distilling Company along with Steve Silver, Jiba Molei Anderson and forty other creators. The whole affair is being sponsored by , so you know there’ll be some high quality stuff for you to peruse. The other creators will feature a mix of authors, poets, and musicians, all of whom are kind of rock oriented.

Admit it, you know I rock.

HEY! QUIT LAUGHING!

MOM! The internet’s being mean to me.

Admission is free, but there’s a cash bar and critically acclaimed food for you to purchase. I’ll have copies of The Brittle Riders trilogy, book one of Goptri of the Mists, Stuff About Things (the gateway drug to McSciFi), and the last copies anywhere on Earth of SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY. I’ll also have copies all my comics.

Hope to see you there.

In other news, while no one’s showed up at my casa with buckets of cash and an offer of a free weekend in Dubai, things have pushed me to the edge of cautiously optimistic. When you submit to production companies or investors, if “no” is their answer you’ll get it pretty quick. For example, Netflix turned me down in less than a week claiming The Brittle Riders would cost too much to make. They did note, if I got outside financing, they’d be willing to revisit the issue. Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased I got a personal response. Most people just get a form email.

However, the average time for a response averages around eight weeks. That amount has passed for three companies and two of those have requested additional materials. So they got a link to the Pitch Book and Tone Reel. Both are “R” rated, but both have been lauded as some of the best promo materials industry professionals have seen. In other words, I’m comfortable betting on them to swing things in my favor.

I write these newsletters a day in advance, just so I’m not rushed. One hour after I saved it I got a rejection from the company who had not requested additional materials. It came down to budget issues for them but they included a note saying, “We really enjoyed this story. If it’s not funded in a year, please reach back to us.”

There are worse things in life.

Feel free to click on the promo links when your boss isn’t around, or you’re not in a place of worship. You get the idea.

I also, recently, appeared on Briggs on Books, as part of Central Valley Talk. It’s a vidcast dedicated to indy authors and creators. It was fun to do and is only ten minutes long, so you can easily slip it in to your busy day. BONUS? It has a shout out to Margot Robbie. You don’t get that every day here in McSciFi-Land (still the world’s weirdest amusement park).

Well, that’s enough blathering for now. Until next time, stay safe, sane, and secure.

Taking a McCovid Break

Yesterday my wife was diagnosed with Covid and, later today, I will be getting tested. We’re both vaxxed and boosted, so we should be fine. This is her second go-round with it and, simply put, she is less than pleased.

As you can tell by the graphic below, I will be appearing, along side my beautiful wife, at the Dead Drop: Rock Shop Words and Music Fest on February 4th from noon until 5 PM. Unlike most cons, this one will feature a cash bar and full menu.A reminder that my beloved publisher, Azoth Khem is not only the home of the musings of McSciFi, they also have books on Trinitarian Wicca. For the uninitiated, that’s a female oriented look at a blend of the old ways and Christianity. Think of it as the best of several worlds. It’s worth a minute of your time to learn about it.

Until next time, you know the drill; stay safe, sane, and inside as much as you can. Oh, yeah, wear a mask.

 

Exclusive McStuff for You

Okay, right out of the box, I have a treat for you. The second issue of Marcie’s Marvels is out and newsletter subscribers can read it for free. Marcie is a super powered teen who fights the exploitation and bullying of teens where ever she can. Marcie’s Marvels is based on the life of a young girl named Marcie who killed herself after suffering endless bullying. Her mother decided to use her daughter’s tragedy to provide hope to others. With that in mind she started the  as a Children’s Advocacy organization dedicated to serving as a resource for children and families that are victims of sexual abuse and suicide.

You can read Issue #1 for free if you missed it when it came out. This is one of those rare projects that come across a creator’s desk whee they just have to be involved.

While not intentional, writing comics has really added to my toolbox. If I want a scene to look or feel a certain way I have to describe it in excruciating detail so the artist knows what to draw. In a novel, I can say “It’s a red room with one blue wall” and readers can fill in the rest. Actions that take place there will further describe it to readers without my having to say much more. Are they eating in this room? Is there an entertainment being watched? Are they playing games, having sex, clipping coupons? All of these things can enhance the readers understanding of the room. Basically, context clues are king.

In a film script, there is no such thing as too much detail unless the writer is also the director. When I first was preparing to shop my script for The Brittle Riders I did a table read with two filmmakers. One thought I’d put too many descriptors in, but the second said, “What are the odds anything you’d shoot would look even a little like what’s in these notes? I need everyone of these to make my brain understand.” The latter opinion has held sway on my journey. Take that however you wish.

In other comic related news, Hadithi Sambamba Comix has a couple new titles in the pipeline that, miracle of miracles, aren’t being written by me. Trust me, this is good news. Success isn’t pie, so there’s some for everyone. Plus, it’ll be nice to cross-promote with other creators who are invested in the success of their titles.

They also have a cool, digital only, store a couple of bucks gets you a shiny new comic to read. As in, it gets delivered to your email, so you can have it forever. You can share with your friends, impress your enemies, and hopefully enjoy them.

That’s enough for today. If you’re in one of those places being hammered by the weather, like we are here in Chicago, stay inside as much as you can. If you must venture outside, be extra careful, and well insulated, otherwise.

Until next week, thanks for tagging along.

McFun with Gmail

Last week I wrote about how I’d somehow run afoul of several major anti-virus programs that ripped links out of my holiday newsletters and made my life a pain in the bupkis. But, after some back and forth things got sorted. So ….. yay team. But, Gmail didn’t follow along. And, support for Gmail comes mostly from other Gmail users. This happened once before, long before my newsletter got to this size, but (GOOD NEWS PEOPLE!) in this case size doesn’t matter. However, if you use Gmail and want to check out a link, just copy https://blogs.billmcscifi.com and paste it into a new tab. I post the newsletters there each week, often before they are sent.

Enough of this nonsense.

While behind the scenes stuff shall continue to remain behind the scenes, I can tell you that The Brittle Riders is on the desks of three different production companies. That knowledge was shared on two blogs, so nothing’s out of the bag here. Now, in the real world, that doesn’t mean a whole lot. No one’s cut any checks, limos laden with champagne continue to not be in front of my apartment, and I haven’t been asked to join the Kardashians for drinks, although an old friend did once get me a phone call with one. She was nice and promised to read one of my books. That was several years ago and I haven’t heard anything more. Even so, it was fun. But, to this sci-fi guy, all of this is some nice, real world, validation for the work I’ve done.

Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Do came out and people are already asking when the third book will be available. Later this year is the answer. I’m not a machine.

Also, this behind the scenes bit I can share. When I first began writing Goptri of the Mists I had always planned on having two, wildly different but action packed, endings. And it will. However, I hit a certain point in book three where each ending kind of canceled the other, leaving me with no ending, just a permanent pause.

This would not be conducive to happy readers.

So, I did something I normally don’t. I went back and plotted the whole thing and then started writing again. Although, technically, plotting is writing, but you get the idea.

Anyway, the good news is it will get done. And, once foisted on the nice people at Azoth Khem for editing and polishing, that will conclude The Brittle Riders saga. Which, if looked at properly, is still faster than some more famous sagas have gotten finished. Heck, there’s one I’m convinced never will.

Oh well. I’ve got ninety-nine problems but a conclusion ain’t one. Of course, ninety-nine problems is still a lot.

In the meantime, Stuff About Things is out. A collection of short stories, essays, and non-fiction articles, it’s a nice introduction to my squishy brain. Or, as my wife puts it, “It’s the gateway drug to McSciFi.” Hers is catchier.

Until next time, I wish you all nothing but happiness. Stay safe and sane.

McWelcome to the Future and McFree Stuff

I learned something at the end of 2023. I learned that if I stack a series of hyperlinks on top of each other, making an easy to read and use list, certain anti-virus programs will rip all those links out and leave nothing but out of context snatches of text. After some research, and a few angry emails, I found out this feature is popular with large companies. Apparently the cubicle drones waste serious amounts of time clicking every link in every email. I understand the principal but, since my anti-virus does it too, I think a memo should have been in order. So, if you’d like to enjoy all the links you may have missed, just CLICK HERE and have fun.

In a mark your calendars moment, I will be appearing on Central Valley Talk with Mike Briggs at noon (CST) on January 10. This promises to be a fun interview and, bonus, the show has global reach. That means anyone with the Internet can watch and, apparently, many do.

The lovely people over at Azoth Khem Publishing have decided to start your New Year off right. From now until February, you can get the Kindle of Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek for free. That’s right, for the incredible fee of a mere zero Samolians you too can read the first part of the prequel/sequel to The Brittle Riders.

Also, a fun reminder letting you know my story MIGGY (about an alien toad thumper who just wants some respect) is in The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination: Journey. Or, as the cool kids say, Rabbit Hole Vol. 6. I’ve read all the other stories in this anthology and can say this is a well edited and assembled piece of work. If you like weird, well written, sci-fi this is a “must have” for you.

My collection of short stories and essays or, as my wife calls it, “the gateway drug to McSciFi,” Stuff About Things is out and being enjoyed by actual humans.

Here’s what some of them have said about some of the stories you’ll be reading.

Vorbliss
(I)f we accepted “Vorbliss” with its expletives, he would sure as shootin’ show up on my doorstep with a pot of bubbling tar in one hand and a bale of freshly-plucked feathers in the other. – Don Webb – Bewildering Stories

A Letter from an Editor
Overall, his “Letter” is a magnificent parody of the world’s ugliest trends (addiction to video games, offshoring). Tell him that he can write to me any time and that his work is brilliant. I love it, love it, LOVE IT!!! – Marina S.

The Writer’s Stuff
It would be a fine addition to “The F**kening”. Bouncing it boobily to the inbox. – Margret Treiber

And the Beat Goes Phut
After hundreds of years, all DJ gigs are the same. Minus the death of all things. – D.J. Russ Harris

14 Frogs
For the first time in my life, shit makes sense. – Carlos Rodriguez

Tuesday
No matter how odd the rituals, it’s reassuring to know love spans the stars. – Matilda Weatherspoon

Ever since 2016, when the first iteration of The Brittle Riders came out, this has been a fascinating journey. I’ve met so many cool people, had my impostor syndrome ratcheted down to “maybe I can belong some day,” and used the elements in my squishy brain to convince a beautiful woman to marry me. Being an author isn’t for everyone, but I like how it looks on me.

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want.

Happy New Year!

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McSciFi’s McHoliday Store

A few people reached out wanting to know if I could be persuaded to send autographed copies of my stuff. The answer is a resounding yes. However, I only deliver to the continental United States. But, the links for individual titles can be delivered internationally, sans autographs, via Amazon and others, either electronically or as a paperback.

I will note that I will not be getting any of my stock replenished before the holidays. So, it’s first come, first serve, and then off to Holiday-Land we go. This year, for the first time, my wife and I will be holidaying by ourselves. No family, no muss, just her and I enjoying each other’s company. We are truly looking forward to it.

As always, thanks for all your support. Allow me to wish you and yours a safe and festive holiday season and I’ll see you in January.

Autographed Copies
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Anthologies
The Brittle Riders
Goptri of the Mists
Hadithi Sambamba Comix Store (digital)