Phil Giunta's Blog, page 86
December 2, 2013
Chapter 14 of By Your Side available on Audio now!
For your
FREE
listening pleasure, the latest episode of By Your Side! You can purchase the paperback or eBook from
Amazon
,
Barnes and Noble
and many online retailers! Thank you for supporting independent authors and small presses.
Chapter Fourteen – Last Stand
Leland and Elias betray Hagen. Leland and Lori Switzer end up on the same doomed flight and Elias meets a fitting end at the hands of Nancy Vernon.
Click here to listen!
Chapter Fourteen – Last Stand
Leland and Elias betray Hagen. Leland and Lori Switzer end up on the same doomed flight and Elias meets a fitting end at the hands of Nancy Vernon.
Click here to listen!
November 29, 2013
You're Invited to a Dead Man's Party
At the Great Allentown Comic Con earlier this month, I had the pleasure of sharing a table with artist Scott Barnett. Scott and writer Jeff Marsick are the co-creators of the gritty crime comic book series,
Dead Man's Party
. When the world's top hit man is convinced he's dying, he decides to go out the honorable way--by taking out a hit on himself (aka a Dead Man's Party). Unfortunately, things do not go as planned for our world-class assassin and he changes his mind.
But of course, it's too late for that.
Today, we chat with Scott about the origins of the story and what goes into producing an independent comic book.
First, tell us where we can find you online.
I’m always loitering around the Dead Man’s Party Facebook page or our website
www.DeadMansParty.org . You can also find me on my personal FB page or by my Twitter handle, @ScottBarnettArt.
What inspired the idea for Dead Man’s Party and what brought you and Jeff Marsick together for the project?
Jeff (DMP’s co-creator and writer) and I have been friends for many years, and we’d been trying to find something we could work on together for a while. One night a few years back, I’m watching TV and an idea pops into my head: a hitman putting out a contract on himself. I wrote myself a page of notes, with a note to call Jeff about this. The very next day, he e-mails me, bringing up the subject of collaborating again. “Funny you should ask; I have an idea." I outline my concept to him, and I can almost HEAR his jaw drop. Turns out he had a hitman idea floating in the back of his head forever but didn’t know what to do with it. His idea was the competition of the Dead Man’s Party itself, complete with the name. Our ideas intertwined so well, we knew we had our concept right then and there!
For those who’ve never heard of the book (shame on you, by the way), Dead Man’s Party is a crime fiction comic series about a world-class assassin and what happens when he’s forced to arrange a Party, which is a competition amongst a hitman’s peers, giving them thirty days to compete for his scalp and his Swiss bank account (there really is no retirement plan for that career path, after all). The invitations are sent, the killers are coming... and that's when things go horribly wrong. If you’re a fan of the Jason Bourne trilogy, this series is right up your alley.
What advice do you have for those that might be interested in producing an independent comic book?
I don’t want to sound too much like Nike, but JUST DO IT! The opportunity to do your own thing has never been greater. The technology exists to be able to do virtually everything yourself. You can create your book with standard art software like Photoshop and Illustrator, write your scripts with a wide variety of scripting tools, websites have never been easier to create with all the services that supply customizable templates, and of course, social media like Facebook and Twitter are there to get yourself in front of a global audience. You can even print to your individual needs. If you can’t afford (or don’t need) large print runs, there are digital printers who will print exactly whatever small quantities you need.
The trick is balancing two factors- time and money. If you can afford to bring in people to help you with creating the book, promoting it and selling it, that’s awesome. If you can’t, that’s okay, too- it’s just going to take more time. If you’re committing to a self-publishing venture, you’re going to have to put in a LOT of time. That’s just a simple fact. But if you have a passion to tell that story of yours, you gotta go for it.
Can you expand upon that a bit? Where are the primary expenditures (layout, printing, binding)?
We’ve found that there is SO much more that goes into the process of creating an independent series than we realized. Actually creating the content (the writing and the art) is only about half the work. There’s printing, creating (and updating) a website for it, promoting it on social media, making appearances at comic shops and conventions to sell to the public and spread the word, and visiting comic shops to sell product to. As I mentioned before, the tools exist to do as much of this as you’d like, to save money, but it takes more time, and more likely than not, you’re already working a ‘day job’ to make sure the lights stay on at home. But it is doable- I know many people besides Jeff and myself who juggle jobs, their personal lives and their labor of love.
But for the sake of answering the question as stated? Besides creating the actual content, you simply need the services of a digital printer, preferably one that specializes in printing comic books. By that, I don’t mean the printer in your office. I’m talking about a printing service that specializes in small print runs. Off-set printers usually require large print runs (in the thousands) to justify the costs of setting up their presses.
A digital printer, however, doesn’t use printing presses. They print from computer equipment, I believe, which allows them to print whatever quantity you’d like, even one copy at a time, if you so choose. The advantage to this is that you can print based on your demand. If you know you can’t sell 5000 copies and don’t want to keep that much inventory, you can use a digital printer to print you the 150 copies you think you’re going to sell. In dealing with a digital printer, you don’t need to worry about laying out the whole book or how it’s going to get bound. They take care of that- all you need to know is exactly what format your printer requests for your individual page files and the order in which the pages will run. It’s really that simple.
What can readers expect from you next?
Well, Jeff and I are currently working on the fourth, and final, issue of Dead Man’s Party, which should be available during the first quarter of 2014; issues one, two and three are available now. I recently did a cover for M3 , an independent crime series from Vices Press; my cover (issue #10) is a few issues away from publication. Jeff is also currently wrapping up the first mini-series of his other creator-owned series, Z-Girl and The Four Tigers with Kirk Manley (co-creator and artist). And Jeff and I will be sitting down shortly to discuss our plans for a sequel to Dead Man’s Party.
Check out some cover art and a sample from Dead Man's Party...
But of course, it's too late for that.
Today, we chat with Scott about the origins of the story and what goes into producing an independent comic book.
First, tell us where we can find you online.
I’m always loitering around the Dead Man’s Party Facebook page or our website
www.DeadMansParty.org . You can also find me on my personal FB page or by my Twitter handle, @ScottBarnettArt.
What inspired the idea for Dead Man’s Party and what brought you and Jeff Marsick together for the project?
Jeff (DMP’s co-creator and writer) and I have been friends for many years, and we’d been trying to find something we could work on together for a while. One night a few years back, I’m watching TV and an idea pops into my head: a hitman putting out a contract on himself. I wrote myself a page of notes, with a note to call Jeff about this. The very next day, he e-mails me, bringing up the subject of collaborating again. “Funny you should ask; I have an idea." I outline my concept to him, and I can almost HEAR his jaw drop. Turns out he had a hitman idea floating in the back of his head forever but didn’t know what to do with it. His idea was the competition of the Dead Man’s Party itself, complete with the name. Our ideas intertwined so well, we knew we had our concept right then and there!
For those who’ve never heard of the book (shame on you, by the way), Dead Man’s Party is a crime fiction comic series about a world-class assassin and what happens when he’s forced to arrange a Party, which is a competition amongst a hitman’s peers, giving them thirty days to compete for his scalp and his Swiss bank account (there really is no retirement plan for that career path, after all). The invitations are sent, the killers are coming... and that's when things go horribly wrong. If you’re a fan of the Jason Bourne trilogy, this series is right up your alley.
What advice do you have for those that might be interested in producing an independent comic book?
I don’t want to sound too much like Nike, but JUST DO IT! The opportunity to do your own thing has never been greater. The technology exists to be able to do virtually everything yourself. You can create your book with standard art software like Photoshop and Illustrator, write your scripts with a wide variety of scripting tools, websites have never been easier to create with all the services that supply customizable templates, and of course, social media like Facebook and Twitter are there to get yourself in front of a global audience. You can even print to your individual needs. If you can’t afford (or don’t need) large print runs, there are digital printers who will print exactly whatever small quantities you need.
The trick is balancing two factors- time and money. If you can afford to bring in people to help you with creating the book, promoting it and selling it, that’s awesome. If you can’t, that’s okay, too- it’s just going to take more time. If you’re committing to a self-publishing venture, you’re going to have to put in a LOT of time. That’s just a simple fact. But if you have a passion to tell that story of yours, you gotta go for it.
Can you expand upon that a bit? Where are the primary expenditures (layout, printing, binding)?
We’ve found that there is SO much more that goes into the process of creating an independent series than we realized. Actually creating the content (the writing and the art) is only about half the work. There’s printing, creating (and updating) a website for it, promoting it on social media, making appearances at comic shops and conventions to sell to the public and spread the word, and visiting comic shops to sell product to. As I mentioned before, the tools exist to do as much of this as you’d like, to save money, but it takes more time, and more likely than not, you’re already working a ‘day job’ to make sure the lights stay on at home. But it is doable- I know many people besides Jeff and myself who juggle jobs, their personal lives and their labor of love.
But for the sake of answering the question as stated? Besides creating the actual content, you simply need the services of a digital printer, preferably one that specializes in printing comic books. By that, I don’t mean the printer in your office. I’m talking about a printing service that specializes in small print runs. Off-set printers usually require large print runs (in the thousands) to justify the costs of setting up their presses.
A digital printer, however, doesn’t use printing presses. They print from computer equipment, I believe, which allows them to print whatever quantity you’d like, even one copy at a time, if you so choose. The advantage to this is that you can print based on your demand. If you know you can’t sell 5000 copies and don’t want to keep that much inventory, you can use a digital printer to print you the 150 copies you think you’re going to sell. In dealing with a digital printer, you don’t need to worry about laying out the whole book or how it’s going to get bound. They take care of that- all you need to know is exactly what format your printer requests for your individual page files and the order in which the pages will run. It’s really that simple.
What can readers expect from you next?
Well, Jeff and I are currently working on the fourth, and final, issue of Dead Man’s Party, which should be available during the first quarter of 2014; issues one, two and three are available now. I recently did a cover for M3 , an independent crime series from Vices Press; my cover (issue #10) is a few issues away from publication. Jeff is also currently wrapping up the first mini-series of his other creator-owned series, Z-Girl and The Four Tigers with Kirk Manley (co-creator and artist). And Jeff and I will be sitting down shortly to discuss our plans for a sequel to Dead Man’s Party.
Check out some cover art and a sample from Dead Man's Party...
Book Review: Telepower by Lee Hoffman
In a dystopian future, the city of Cleveland is protected by a massive concrete wall surrounding the city. Inside, the residents live a life of tranquil seclusion. Their only contact with the outside world are with the caravans of merchants that occasionally arrive to trade goods.
Just beyond the wall lies the city's garrison, filled with obedient soldiers whose only purpose in life is to protect Cleveland from the hoard of mutant, wild rats living in the fields and ruins of the surrounding area. The rats attack the city at random intervals, seeking to feast on human flesh.
The soldiers are considered by the residents to be little more than insensate, mindless drones They are not permitted inside the city's walls or even to communicate with the civilian population. Further, any soldier who displays self-awareness or questions the rules is viewed as potentially insane, a crime punishable by incineration.
Thus, when Beldone begins to dream about the attacking rats, he fears for his own life. Even more so when he realizes the very emotion of fear, which leads him to question the world around him. Surely, this is madness! Soldiers question nothing, they fear nothing. They simply obey. Beldone keeps his newfound concerns to himself, else risk incineration.
Little does Beldone know that one disgruntled resident inside Cleveland's walls has finally decided to act on her telepathic ability. Bored with her life of isolation, Illyna has watched the soldiers defeat the rats time and again. She has joined her fellow citizens on the parapets of the walls to sing the traditional song to the fallen rats after every battle. Quite honestly, she would like to see the rats win for a change.
It is not long before she realizes her telepathy allows her to control the soldiers…and the rats. She focuses her power on Beldone, turning the living automaton into a sentient man, willing him to help her escape, even if that means breaching the city's wall and murdering a civilian. After her successful departure from Cleveland, Illyna joins the rats, living among them almost as their queen. She gathers thousands of them to mount a massive offense against the city.
Meanwhile, Beldone is sentenced to death by incineration for his depraved acts. Held in a cage overnight, Beldone manages to escape captivity by convincing the guard to set him free. Somehow, his interaction with Illyna has awakened his own latent telepathic powers. Now, Beldone must hunt her down and determine a way to stop her attack.
Lee Hoffman skillfully constructs Beldone's character arc and his adjustment to new and strange experiences. However, I'm still not entirely clear why Beldone suddenly gained telepathic powers of his own, other than his exposure to Illyna. It is not clearly explained. Overall, however, Telepower is a fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable dystopian novella.
This printing of Telepower was part of a Belmont double book, packaged with Harlan Ellison's Doomsman. Click here to read my review of Doomsman .
Just beyond the wall lies the city's garrison, filled with obedient soldiers whose only purpose in life is to protect Cleveland from the hoard of mutant, wild rats living in the fields and ruins of the surrounding area. The rats attack the city at random intervals, seeking to feast on human flesh.
The soldiers are considered by the residents to be little more than insensate, mindless drones They are not permitted inside the city's walls or even to communicate with the civilian population. Further, any soldier who displays self-awareness or questions the rules is viewed as potentially insane, a crime punishable by incineration.
Thus, when Beldone begins to dream about the attacking rats, he fears for his own life. Even more so when he realizes the very emotion of fear, which leads him to question the world around him. Surely, this is madness! Soldiers question nothing, they fear nothing. They simply obey. Beldone keeps his newfound concerns to himself, else risk incineration.
Little does Beldone know that one disgruntled resident inside Cleveland's walls has finally decided to act on her telepathic ability. Bored with her life of isolation, Illyna has watched the soldiers defeat the rats time and again. She has joined her fellow citizens on the parapets of the walls to sing the traditional song to the fallen rats after every battle. Quite honestly, she would like to see the rats win for a change.
It is not long before she realizes her telepathy allows her to control the soldiers…and the rats. She focuses her power on Beldone, turning the living automaton into a sentient man, willing him to help her escape, even if that means breaching the city's wall and murdering a civilian. After her successful departure from Cleveland, Illyna joins the rats, living among them almost as their queen. She gathers thousands of them to mount a massive offense against the city.
Meanwhile, Beldone is sentenced to death by incineration for his depraved acts. Held in a cage overnight, Beldone manages to escape captivity by convincing the guard to set him free. Somehow, his interaction with Illyna has awakened his own latent telepathic powers. Now, Beldone must hunt her down and determine a way to stop her attack.
Lee Hoffman skillfully constructs Beldone's character arc and his adjustment to new and strange experiences. However, I'm still not entirely clear why Beldone suddenly gained telepathic powers of his own, other than his exposure to Illyna. It is not clearly explained. Overall, however, Telepower is a fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable dystopian novella.
This printing of Telepower was part of a Belmont double book, packaged with Harlan Ellison's Doomsman. Click here to read my review of Doomsman .
November 26, 2013
About This Writing Stuff...
This week, Kathryn Lilley reminds writers to remind readers about that character that hasn't appeared in the last six chapters. Claire Langley-Hawthorne offers tips for grabbing your reader from the start. Rob Eagar mines the gold in the "digital middle" while James Scott Bell recalls his inspiration to become a writer. Jane Friedman offers insight into effective author bios. Kristine Kathryn Rusch takes a deep dive into discoverability.
All that and bit more…enjoy!
Making Millions in the Digital Middle by Rob Eagar
Author Draws On Personal Struggles to Tackle Dark Issues in Fiction by Erin Wiltgen (via Kathryn Craft)
Nicholson Baker's Best Advice: Writers Must Write Every Day by Daniel D'Addario (via Allyn Gibson)
Death and the Self-Pubbed Writer by Joe Konrath
Readers Aren't Elephants by Kathryn Lilley
Crafting an Effective Opening by Claire Langley-Hawthorne
Death to the Midlist, Long Live the Ownlist and The Day I Decided to Become a Writer by James Scott Bell
Pay Proper Attention to Your Bio by Jane Friedman
While You Were Sleeping-The Difference Between Narrative and Internal Monologue by Lisa Hall-Wilson via Kristen Lamb
Advertising, Print Editions, and Traditional Publishing (Discoverability Part One) and The Helpful Reader (Discoverability Part Two) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
All that and bit more…enjoy!
Making Millions in the Digital Middle by Rob Eagar
Author Draws On Personal Struggles to Tackle Dark Issues in Fiction by Erin Wiltgen (via Kathryn Craft)
Nicholson Baker's Best Advice: Writers Must Write Every Day by Daniel D'Addario (via Allyn Gibson)
Death and the Self-Pubbed Writer by Joe Konrath
Readers Aren't Elephants by Kathryn Lilley
Crafting an Effective Opening by Claire Langley-Hawthorne
Death to the Midlist, Long Live the Ownlist and The Day I Decided to Become a Writer by James Scott Bell
Pay Proper Attention to Your Bio by Jane Friedman
While You Were Sleeping-The Difference Between Narrative and Internal Monologue by Lisa Hall-Wilson via Kristen Lamb
Advertising, Print Editions, and Traditional Publishing (Discoverability Part One) and The Helpful Reader (Discoverability Part Two) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
November 17, 2013
Chapter 13 of By Your Side released on Audio
For your FREE listening pleasure, episode 13 of By Your Side...
Chapter Thirteen – No Good Deed…
With Detective Teelko’s help, the team rescues Ginny. Denny takes her under his wing and warns Miranda to stay away, despite Ginny’s protests.
Click here to listen!
Chapter Thirteen – No Good Deed…
With Detective Teelko’s help, the team rescues Ginny. Denny takes her under his wing and warns Miranda to stay away, despite Ginny’s protests.
Click here to listen!
November 16, 2013
The Great Allentown Comic Con
Spent a fine day at the Great Allentown Comic Con in Allentown, PA. I managed to sell a few books and shared a table with talented independent comic book artist Scott Barnett who is currently working on a four-issue crime drama,
Dead Man's Party
.
The convention was extremely well-attended. Easily over one thousand people passed through the doors and the cosplayers were impressive in both quality and quantity. The main guest of honor was singer/actress Bonnie Piesse (shown below), best known to SF fans as Aunt Beru from Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith.
The convention was extremely well-attended. Easily over one thousand people passed through the doors and the cosplayers were impressive in both quality and quantity. The main guest of honor was singer/actress Bonnie Piesse (shown below), best known to SF fans as Aunt Beru from Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith.
November 9, 2013
About This Writing Stuff...
This week, Neil Gaiman explains why he doesn't entirely mind piracy. Jody Hedlund warns against killing off your protagonist while Jami Gold exposes ways to make our characters vulnerable. From Writer Unboxed, we learn methods for forcing words onto the page as well as thwarting your characters. Kristine Kathryn Rusch stresses the importance of storytelling over beautiful prose and Bob Greenberger examines science fiction.
All that and a bit more. Enjoy!
In Which I Get Brutally Honest and Try to Explain Formatting and Why It's Not Always Up to Me by Kelly Meding
The Cardinal Sin No Writer Should Ever Commit by Jody Hedlund
How to Make Characters Vulnerable to Readers and Does Your Writing Have Rhythm? by Jami Gold
Examining Science Fiction Across the Genres and The Play's the Thing by Bob Greenberger
Frog Marching the Muse: Eighteen Tips to Get Words on the Page by Robin LaFevers
Interview with Gary Zenker, Publisher of Unclaimed Baggage by Tony Conaway
9 Ways to Undermine Your Characters' Best-Laid Plans by Lisa Cron
The Business Rusch: Storytelling by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Neil Gaiman on Piracy and the Web via Wimp.com (thanks, John Evans!)
All that and a bit more. Enjoy!
In Which I Get Brutally Honest and Try to Explain Formatting and Why It's Not Always Up to Me by Kelly Meding
The Cardinal Sin No Writer Should Ever Commit by Jody Hedlund
How to Make Characters Vulnerable to Readers and Does Your Writing Have Rhythm? by Jami Gold
Examining Science Fiction Across the Genres and The Play's the Thing by Bob Greenberger
Frog Marching the Muse: Eighteen Tips to Get Words on the Page by Robin LaFevers
Interview with Gary Zenker, Publisher of Unclaimed Baggage by Tony Conaway
9 Ways to Undermine Your Characters' Best-Laid Plans by Lisa Cron
The Business Rusch: Storytelling by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Neil Gaiman on Piracy and the Web via Wimp.com (thanks, John Evans!)
Chapter 12 of By Your Side released on Audio
The latest episode of By Your Side has been posted for your FREE listening pleasure!
Chapter Twelve – Ginny
Nancy possesses Frank’s daughter and nearly sends her plummeting to her death from the roof of her apartment complex.
Click here to listen!
Chapter Twelve – Ginny
Nancy possesses Frank’s daughter and nearly sends her plummeting to her death from the roof of her apartment complex.
Click here to listen!
November 4, 2013
Goodreads Best Books of 2013 Awards
Folks, if you have an account on Goodreads, now is the time to vote for your favorite book in several categories during their Best Books of 2013 awards. If you are so inclined and have read and enjoyed
By Your Side
, may I request that you cast a vote for it as best paranormal fantasy? Here is the link to vote, you would need to type in By Your Side at the bottom of the page. Since there are other books by that title, wait for the drop down menu to appear, then make your choice. I appreciate it. I realize I'm an underdog, but I can hope!
Click here to log into Goodreads and cast your vote!
Thank you so much!!!
Click here to log into Goodreads and cast your vote!
Thank you so much!!!
November 2, 2013
About This Writing Stuff...
This week, Bob Greenberger reminisces about his time with DC Comics. Derek Murphy reveals tactics for attention-grabbing covers. David Gaughran thinks that publishing is easy, while James Scott Bell offers advice on surviving as a writer. Michael Bracken wonderfully clarifies the various types of short-story markets. Jack McDevitt highlights common blunders of newbie writers, but if you've published books with such issues, Jodie Renner encourages you to revise and re-release them if you can. Philip Hensher stresses the importance of location in our stories and Jami Gold lifts our sagging middles.
All that and a bit more...enjoy!
DC's Move West Brings Back Memories by Bob Greenberger
8 Cover Design Secrets Publishers Use to Manipulate Readers in Buying Books by Derek Murphy via Kathryn Craft
Market-First, Write-Second by Michael Bracken via Donna Brennan
Publishing is Easy by David Gaughran
How to Avoid a Sagging Middle in Our Stories by Jami Gold
12 Blunders Aspiring Writers Make by Jack McDevitt via Mike Flynn
Facing Down the Harsh Realities of Publishing by James Scott Bell
The Importance of Place in Fiction by Philip Hensher via Donna Herrera
Indie Authors - Should You Revise and Republish Your Earlier Books? by Jodie Renner
What I've Learned from Writer's Groups by Michelle Mueller
With Fading Memory, Terry Pratchett Revisits Carpet People via NPR
All that and a bit more...enjoy!
DC's Move West Brings Back Memories by Bob Greenberger
8 Cover Design Secrets Publishers Use to Manipulate Readers in Buying Books by Derek Murphy via Kathryn Craft
Market-First, Write-Second by Michael Bracken via Donna Brennan
Publishing is Easy by David Gaughran
How to Avoid a Sagging Middle in Our Stories by Jami Gold
12 Blunders Aspiring Writers Make by Jack McDevitt via Mike Flynn
Facing Down the Harsh Realities of Publishing by James Scott Bell
The Importance of Place in Fiction by Philip Hensher via Donna Herrera
Indie Authors - Should You Revise and Republish Your Earlier Books? by Jodie Renner
What I've Learned from Writer's Groups by Michelle Mueller
With Fading Memory, Terry Pratchett Revisits Carpet People via NPR
