Joe Mikolay's Blog, page 9
June 11, 2015
Netflix & Trimming The Fat
My wife and I have been watching the new Netflix series Sense8 recently, and it’s pretty good. The issue is that, at 12 episodes and only one real story arc, pretty good is about as good as it can be.
I felt the same way about the Netflix series Bloodline, which was a cool neo-noir family saga set in the Florida Keys. It, like Sense8, had a really good cast, directors with a great eye, and a strong singular story. Also, like Sense8, the first season had too many episodes (13).
I could tell that there were really good, possibly great, 6-8 episode long seasons fighting to get out of these 12-13 episode batches. Kind of like a liter of high quality whiskey diluted with three liters of cola – mixed with too much syrup – from the speed rack.
Netflix shows like Orange Is The New Black, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Daredevil can handle 12 episode seasons because they are, for lack of a better term, more episodic. Each episode can stand on its own in the whole, even while maintaining a season-long primary story arc.
Shows like Bloodline and Sense8 are essentially movies given more room to breathe, which I think is awesome in theory. It’s also why Netflix should stop feeling married to the 12-13 episode count, and maybe take some pointers from other networks.
BBC only rolls out three episodes for a season of Sherlock, and HBO only gave True Detective 8 episodes in its first season. I love me some Sherlock, and True Detective was one of the best things I saw last year. However, I doubt I’d feel the same about either if they fattened up the order count to 13 episodes while still trying to tell the same kind of story.
Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy all these shows and more. I’m just making a suggestion to tighten things up a bit and let these shows be as good as they possibly can be. Network television shows suffer a lot because they need to pump out 22 episodes a year to satisfy their advertisers. Basic Cable shows sometimes strain to get to 12 for the same reason.
When you have no such concerns, you should feel free to produce the exact number of episodes it takes to tell your story at maximum efficiency. I imagine Netflix will figure that out eventually.
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June 9, 2015
Done Deal For The Pack
The KDP Countdown Deal for The Pack may have concluded, but it’s still only $2.99!
I always love giving new readers a chance to jump aboard, and these deals have proven to be a great opportunity to round up some new fans. You can expect deals for my other works in the near future.
Meanwhile, I’d like to give a shout out to the good folks at eReader News Today, The Kindle Book Review, and Digital Book Today (who were cool enough to give me another week of ads on the house).
Stay tuned, since I plan to make a more formal announcement regarding the release date of my next book, DarkLight Redemption, along with the different ways you’ll be able to get your hands on it.
Until then, keep readin’!
June 7, 2015
Book One of the Post-Human Universe
Finding your place in the world is tough; especially if your world is filled with pissed off superheroes who want to kick your…
DarkLight is a conflicted supervillain preparing to leave the bad guy business behind. But the disappearance of Drake Weston – criminal mastermind and genius billionaire- results in DarkLight being enlisted for one final job.
The search for Weston will take DarkLight on a tour of his own past sins and present strife. It will also bring him into the orbit of The Dominatrix – who’s new to the supervillain game, and has an abundantly more carefree approach to playing it.
Little do they know that their search for one man will lead them to discover a threat greater than they could imagine.
If redemption is to be found for DarkLight, he’s going to have to earn it. Even if it’s the last thing he does.
Coming soon this summer! Check back here, find me on Facebook or Twitter for sample chapters and giveaways.
May 31, 2015
The Pack - Kindle Countdown Deal
What are you waiting for?
http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B009O5BR2M
May 23, 2015
Book One of the Post-Human Universe
DarkLight is a conflicted supervillain preparing to leave the bad guy business behind. But the disappearance of Drake Weston – criminal mastermind and genius billionaire- results in DarkLight being enlisted for one final job.
The search for Weston will take DarkLight on a tour of his own past sins and present strife.
It will also bring him into the orbit of The Dominatrix – who’s new to the supervillain game, and has an abundantly more carefree approach to playing it.
Little do they know that their search for one man will lead them to discover a threat greater than they could imagine.
If redemption is to be found for DarkLight, he’s going to have to earn it. Even if it’s the last thing he does.
May 18, 2015
Coming This Summer...
Since then, there have been many more.
The public at large calls these enhanced people Post-Humans.
DarkLight: Redemption
Book One of the Post-Human Universe.
More info coming soon!
May 9, 2015
Song Time Part 3
I called it 'Asylum' for anyone interested. Was going for a whole double meaning deal, what with it being a mental institution but the characters finding shelter and salvation there as well, etc.
(S) is a character named Sebastian and [C] is a character named Carol.
The parts annotated as such are sung by those respective characters.
Enjoy the cheese!
“TRAMPOLINE” (6TH MUSICAL NUMBER)
(S) We’re blind in the night, crying eyes can’t see
Darkness goes through you and hollows your heart
And you’ve hit rock bottom as low as can be
But the sky’s still above you imagine how far
You can reach, ‘cause the ground is a trampoline
(S) So won’t you come and take a bounce with me through the air
Let’s scatter your worries and forget all your cares
I promise you’ll feel just like you’re flying
This is life’s happy hour and, darling, I’m buying
[C] Do you really think that we can fly?
(S) I know it
[C] Will these sad times really pass by?
(S) There’s no way that we can blow it
[C] So what is it that I must do?
(S) Let’s sing it now just me and you
(S & C) Jump for it as we grow wings
Take to the air like a fish to the sea
We’ll blast past those troubling things
(S) If you promise to take flight with me
[C] I do
(S) Then just smile to the widest degree
[C] I was crawling and scratching to break through the wall
Whenever I got close I managed to fall
But now I’m not worried, and now I’m not scared
Because I know I’m not alone down there
And together we’ll bounce to that glorious scene
(S & C) There’s no rocks at the bottom
It’s all just a trampoline
All the ground beneath us is simply a trampoline
(S & C) All the ground beneath us is simply a trampoline
May 5, 2015
Song Time Part 2
This particular song was written for a character named Mary Collins- who was meant to be a sort of Sylvia Plath re-imagined as a goth music singer.
If the lyrics don't make it clear enough, she also comes to an unhappy end.
However, there is a little Easter Egg in my first book Misfit Toys In Love that references this song.
“VOID”
The stench of death is a sweet perfume
Compared to a heart rotting away
And the blackest night a candle lit
Bright as day in the endless pit of my soul
Life’s an abyss that swallows the light
And laughter and bliss are lies of the fall
The Giant’s shadow freezes all beneath it
Snow drifts engulf the trees and the fields
But the lives that move not are reborn each year
While those in motion continue falling like tears
The velvet night sky, all in all
Is no more or less than my velvet death shawl
The stars are the stains that can never come clean
Purity is the dye that paints envy green
The moon is my tombstone, its crevices crackling
The face on it smiling, taunting and cackling
Pain is patient, death is coy
Sorrow’s a sadist, and love
Love is a void
April 25, 2015
Song Time
A concept, mind you, that I still think could work. Even if the songs are- shall we say- rudimentary.
“WALKING OUT OF HERE”
Eyes on the floor, for what?
Life pulled the handle and flushed
Storm clouds are brewing
And you can’t see through them
Not with your eyes full of tears
Come on, you’re walking out of here
‘Cause the world is a harsh place
And there’s no end to the race
While you’re stuck at the rear
All you’ve got there is fear
Stand up, you’re walking out of here
It’s all a journey, just one long crusade
Wars may conclude every quest
Keep fighting your battle, no hero will save
In the end we all save ourselves
It’s a long, dark tunnel, and you may get pummeled
But in the end, one thing’s for sure
You’ll truly know who you are
So why not kick it to fifth gear
‘Cause you’re cruisin’ out of here
And the time may come when you’ve nothing
All your hopes and dreams seem a waste
The roof caves in and the floor just drops
And it seems like you’ve lost all you got
But nothing will take you and nothing will break you
Once you’ve launched off of that pier
Yeah, you’re sailing out of here
So have no regrets and never forget
The one thing that lasts through the years
Love will carry us right out of here
Love will lift us up out of here
Love will run with us
Love will sail with us
Love will fly with us
Love will guide all of us
With love, love surrounding us
With love, love filling us
With love, love here in us
We’re walking out of here
April 20, 2015
Poem Time
So, in the interest of embarrassing myself,I've decided to post some of them in my blog.
Here's the first one-
THE ANGEL & THE MERMAID
There was once a Mermaid
Living in the sea
And ever since she was a child
She believed there was someone looking after her
She was right, of course
For up in the sky was an Angel
He took joy in seeing her happiness
And did all he could to give her more
The Angel was a child himself
Born in the sky as The Mermaid was in the sea
As they both grew to adulthood
The Angel could give The Mermaid more
When she was cold
He'd give her a warm current
When she was in the dark
He'd send a ray of sunlight to her
But when she was lonely
He could do nothing more
Than send her a smiling dolphin
For her solitary heart
This was not enough
So one day The Mermaid made a wish
And The Angel made one too
They both wished to spend a day
With the one they loved
So a power greater than their own
Blessed them each with a day
As humans
The birthing dawn found them
The Angel and The Mermaid
Sitting on a beach
The Angel's heart rose
As he walked in the surf
The Mermaid's cheeks glowed
In the sunlight undampered by the water
And as they both marveled
At the feeling of their feet on solid ground
They saw each other
Each knew the other
If not by sight
They spent the day walking the shore
Sharing stories of the joy they brought each other
They told of the wonders of the sky and the sea
They told of the dreams they'd had
And the glory of this day
At night they made love in the cove
And held each other until the following dawn
When they woke they found themselves again
Separated in the sky and the sea
But they mourned not for a lost love
Rather they rejoiced in a love found
And embraced, if just for one day
Many years passed, and so did The Mermaid
Into the sky
Restored to her youthful beauty
She once again found The Angel
And another precious day
And sacred night
Was spent together
But The Angel was fated
To become an Earthbound Soul
And on the following dawn
He was born into the world of humans
There was once a Man
Living by the sea
And ever since he was a child
He believed there was someone
Looking after him....
