Gregory S. Close's Blog, page 5

The Worthless Novel is now officially... delayed

Well, folks (yes, both of you who read this blog) real life has overtaken the production schedule for the release of In Siege of Daylight.  Having rather unexpectedly been hired for an unexpectedly good position (i.e a day job), I had to devote a disproportionate amount of the last two weeks to the interviewing process and the learning-the-heck-what-I'm-doing process.  Even up through yesterday I was trying to push it just to make the deadline/publishing date that I'd advertised.



But it's not fair to my new employer to focus on other than my new employment this week, and it's not fair to the long suffering novel that I've taken so long trying to make the absolute best completely average fantasy novel that I can write, just to make it even less-than-average by rushing the last two chapters and pivotal scenes through the editing and beta review process.





So, the bad news is that there will be no release on 4 - 24- 12.  Im un-Unleashing the Dark (TM) with plans to re-Unleash the Dark later this month or early next, without rushing it, and without compromising what questionable quality it might already possess.



As disappointed as I am to have typed that, a big fat ball of super stress just dissolved in my stomach.  Ahhhhh.... it does feel better, if in a somewhat soul-crushing way.

Wonder Con, Day Two: Do, or do not

Well, things are not going as planned here at WonderCon.  Due to an unforeseen delay at a certain un-mentioned print-on-demand company, the very cool promotional give-aways that I ordered (and spent an arm and a leg to express ship) did not arrive.  They will arrive in Anaheim, at my hotel, Monday.  Yes, that's the day after I check out, and the day after WonderCon.



FAIL.





My very cool business cards with a scannable QR code that zaps you right to my Facebook Author page - not here.
My t-shirt, which advertised the book, the release date, and showcased all of Mike Nash's superior artwork - not here.
My Tote Bags, adorned once again with cover art from the book, a quick teaser, and a QR code, which I intended to distribute liberally about the exhibition hall of the convention (lots of people buying stuff, need bags to carry it - why not advertise?) - not here.




The marketing plan is derailed. Sigh.  I had some non-fancy business cards to hand out, and that was about it.  I did the best I could.  So, that's the down-side of Day 2.



The Upside...



I saw lots of cool stuff while mingling and trying my hardest to promote my book (I am not good at self-promotion).  Most impressive of which was the panel with Sir Ridley Scott discussing Prometheus (and some new footage).  This looks like a great SF movie.  The kind of SF movie we haven't had since the first Alien or Blade Runner.  Don't get me wrong - there's been a lot of good SF since then, just not this kind.  I have high hopes.



Looper also looks great, and Snow White and the Huntsmen has potential (we'll see).



Closed out the day with a writing workshop with J. Michael Stracynski (creator/show-runner of Bablyon 5, screen writer for Changeling and others).  Informative and entertaining.



Biggest takeaway: WRITE.

WonderCon Day 1: A Day at the Office?

I'm not sure if I'm more motivated by listening to writers like J. Michael Straczynski and Mike Mignola discuss their writing and approach to narrative, or if I'm more distressed that I wasted so much of my life on pizza, schilling software and memorizing ERISA instead of pursuing writing 100% as a career.



J. Michael Straczynski had his low moments too (He-Man came before Babylon 5 and The Changeling) but at least he was writing.



Speaking of which...