Kim Wells's Blog, page 9
March 3, 2015
Coming soon: Bookmarks!
When I send a print copy to someone right now, I tuck a cute little version of the witch on a dandelion logo that's at the top of my blog over there. Up there ^. It's purple, and has my website on it.
But that got me thinking: BOOKMARKS ARE COOL!! So I went and found a website that does bookmarks, and made one with the purple logo. I just ordered them, and now I want them instantly in my hands. Seriously, would whomever is in charge of inventing the thing on Star Trek, what are they called, that makes things appear, just get it over with already!? And while you're at it, bring me some Earl Grey, Hot.
These are nerdy, daily things that I do which take up an inordinate amount of time. But it's all for the fans.. my dahlings. The fans....
But that got me thinking: BOOKMARKS ARE COOL!! So I went and found a website that does bookmarks, and made one with the purple logo. I just ordered them, and now I want them instantly in my hands. Seriously, would whomever is in charge of inventing the thing on Star Trek, what are they called, that makes things appear, just get it over with already!? And while you're at it, bring me some Earl Grey, Hot.
These are nerdy, daily things that I do which take up an inordinate amount of time. But it's all for the fans.. my dahlings. The fans....
March 1, 2015
Blogger weirdness!
So for some reason, I must have clicked a button wrong in blogger and deleted half of my blog drafting from yesterday, as well as some things from other blogs. Augh! I lost some major content when I was playing around with the format, trying to add some cool things (like a mailing list sign up contact thingy). I don't know what I did. Usually blogger is very easy to work with but I messed it up yesterday, for sure. I will maybe go back & re-do the blogs that basically are now showing in first draft form, having lost a lot of formatting, links, etc, that had been put into them. But man, what an annoying thing to happen! And I don't even know how it did! I usually come in maybe once a day to track "siteviews" and I just discovered it just now.
Anyone know how to "wayback" a blog mistake? Sheesh.
Anyone know how to "wayback" a blog mistake? Sheesh.
February 28, 2015
Cover Reveal Coming Soon!
I've been working with Mike Corley, the awesome artist who has done the art for so many great indie books, on the cover art for Hoodoopocalypse. Let me drop this small hint: it's gonna blow you away. It's amazing, and I can't wait to see it in full color (that's the last thing that is in the works). The black and white version I've already seen is just too, too cool.
My book takes place in Shreveport a little, but the main action is in New Orleans. So in discussing the cover with Mike, of course I had to include the French Quarter, and magic, and Hoodoo. Hoodoo is the "Southern U.S., homegrown" version of Voodoo, with a little less of the religious practice that the more properly Haitian brand has. Root work, folk magic, etc, are all a big part of the story, and there is this amazing Hoodoo shop that people will forever be looking for when they go to New Orleans now.... but you'll have to wait til March 10 to get more details of that. Or, sign up for my newsletter and get ARCs of it very, very soon. See that little box up above this blog post that says "Mailing List"? There you'll get the Hoodoopocalypse delivered for free right to your email before it's available on Amazon. I'll also send future deals, freebies, etc. I don't over-mail, so I promise you're not gonna hear from me every day. But it's a great place to make sure you hear my news, because the old "Book of Face" often filters things it deems to be "business" and they get lost from your news feed.
Anyway. Long story short (too late) this cover is going to rock your socks off. (I know it's knock your socks, but this one is so rock n roll you just have to go with me on the shift. Besides. I have a poetic license.)
My book takes place in Shreveport a little, but the main action is in New Orleans. So in discussing the cover with Mike, of course I had to include the French Quarter, and magic, and Hoodoo. Hoodoo is the "Southern U.S., homegrown" version of Voodoo, with a little less of the religious practice that the more properly Haitian brand has. Root work, folk magic, etc, are all a big part of the story, and there is this amazing Hoodoo shop that people will forever be looking for when they go to New Orleans now.... but you'll have to wait til March 10 to get more details of that. Or, sign up for my newsletter and get ARCs of it very, very soon. See that little box up above this blog post that says "Mailing List"? There you'll get the Hoodoopocalypse delivered for free right to your email before it's available on Amazon. I'll also send future deals, freebies, etc. I don't over-mail, so I promise you're not gonna hear from me every day. But it's a great place to make sure you hear my news, because the old "Book of Face" often filters things it deems to be "business" and they get lost from your news feed.
Anyway. Long story short (too late) this cover is going to rock your socks off. (I know it's knock your socks, but this one is so rock n roll you just have to go with me on the shift. Besides. I have a poetic license.)
February 23, 2015
Swag! Parties! Apocalypse!
Today is the launch party for the Apocalypse Weird series BIG FIVE book drop. That means five of the books are all available today to buy in e-book form. Eventually they'll all be out in print, too.
A book launch party is where you basically can just come and chat with other authors & fans. We usually end up asking questions like "what kind of horror stories do you like" or "favorite book ever" and then people just have a good time talking about it. Honestly, it's one of my favorite parts about the Internet-- getting to chat about books and writerly things!
The launch party is here.
But the point of this post is about my SWAG. I'll be giving away two signed, personalized copies of the print version of Mariposa. Several e-books of both it and Mrs. Johnson's Blues will also be available.
The biggest thing is a video, like this one:
I'll design for you and give away a free author, artist, fan, band, whatever-you-want, video. It's a professionally designed promotional tool, basically. You can publicize one book, or all of your books. You could also get one to promo your band, your photography company, your editing service. If you don't have a writer or creative style business, you can make a "the day my kids were born" or "wedding" or whatever you have that you want a cool video of. There are several other projects I've made for other authors and editors here, if you want to see more samples.
I'll create it, get your input on music. You can add customizable stock footage if you want (that will cost whatever the stock pictures cost extra, but I have a pretty good subscription plan, so it's not too bad.) And you can either link to the video from my YouTube account or get an HD version of it that you can do with what you want. That one won't have any branding on it if you don't want it. You have to provide me with some info-- if you're doing a book, for example, you will want to give me book blurbs and/or book reviews you're a fan of.
So that's it! My stuff will be available during my hosting hour, which is 5-6 PST. The party starts here.
P.S. We're also having a continuation of the party tomorrow over on Reddit in an "Ask Us Anything" posting at http://www.reddit.com/r/books
February 19, 2015
Limited Time Sale!
Psssst. The boss is away and we're having a sale. (That's how you do those ads, right?)
This Friday-Saturday, Mariposa: A Love Story will be on sale for FREE on Kindle! Go pick up a copy. Read it! LOVE IT!
This Friday-Saturday, Mariposa: A Love Story will be on sale for FREE on Kindle! Go pick up a copy. Read it! LOVE IT!
February 18, 2015
The Art of the Indie
One of the things that I found out when I first decided I wanted to be an indie publisher of my work was that as an indie, you have a lot of freedoms that traditional publishing won't go for. Like art work.
I've already talked about the cover art I'll get at the end of this month, and shared other amazing covers from my friends' books. I've been like a kid waiting for Christmas over that, for sure, and as soon as its ready it will be here on the blog. But I also commissioned two pieces of art that illustrate parts of my story, Hoodoopocalypse, from the amazingly talented Ben Adams.
I gave him my ideas for what I wanted in a long email and waited impatiently. I'm ridiculously visual with my writing, so I had a Pinterest picture for each idea. I don't know if that's helpful to the artist or not, but I do know it means that what I got today in my inbox was absolutely perfect. Just--so perfect. I saw a couple of teases, which is what I'm going to post here from Ben's Patreon page. (And by the way, I already posted that Patreon is one of those things you can do for the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can support artists so they can keep making amazing things. I'm going to become one of Ben's Patreon's, too).
The first image is a snap from a 6 panel "Graphic novel style" piece he did of a moment in the story where one of the characters' quests comes to its watery end:
copyright Ben J. Adams, 2015.
Things I love about this include the "Hanged man" pose he caught for Marine Lance Corporal Jarrod Knighton, the guy in the center. And if you look up, there's a tiny little human shape above him. That's a voodoo doll that Knighton was delivering to the Gulf of Mexico, and the doll mirrors the "sacrificial" pose perfectly. Didn't know there were mermaids down there at the tip of Louisiana's boot, did ya? Y'all be careful down there.
This gorgeous image below is of my protagonist, Marie French. She's amazing and strong and I'm so glad I met her. She's got more adventures to go on, too.... you have to read and review the first of my books if you want to get the sequel though, cause that's the way this project works.... Let me just say, she's going to Memphis, eventually, and there may even be a King sighting in my magical apocalypse. But that's for later. For now: ART!
This image is a very small snip of the overall picture cause I don't want to give away too much and "spoiler" you. But it takes place in Jackson Square, New Orleans. When you read my book in under a month (squeeee!) you'll get to see more amazingness from the picture.
When I got the full versions today in my inbox I really did just cry. There is something so amazing about this. It may not have been a full on "ugly cry" but it was teared up, crying, happy. I never really thought about the impact that art can have on your novel. How it feels to have your ideas, which didn't even exist six months ago.
I do, however, remember as a kid reading books and just pouring over the images in them. My favorite ever version of Little Women was one that had illustrations of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, some in color. I would stare at them and just take in everything. I loved that darn book. I even wrote my Master's Thesis on it. It's meant a lot to me, and I have to say that I think something to the artwork might have triggered that love, that belief in the power of beautiful images. The dog chewed that hardback library book up, actually, and I had to buy it from the library. I was actually kind of happy about that, to be honest.
Most "grown up" books don't include graphics like this, and I think that's really a shame. And it's part of why I'm really proud to be producing MY work, my way. Yes, it's a little bit more expensive to commission a piece of artwork for your novel, but I can promise you, these are getting framed and put up in my house. And I think there are going to be t-shirts. And whatever else I can think of. It's all part of what is great about indie publishing. We can break rules. And innovate. It's going to change the world.
And I really do love it. It's a little bit different as apocalypses go (apocalypti? tuses?) so you're going to have to trust me on the magic stuff. But I think you're going to love it too.
I've already talked about the cover art I'll get at the end of this month, and shared other amazing covers from my friends' books. I've been like a kid waiting for Christmas over that, for sure, and as soon as its ready it will be here on the blog. But I also commissioned two pieces of art that illustrate parts of my story, Hoodoopocalypse, from the amazingly talented Ben Adams.
I gave him my ideas for what I wanted in a long email and waited impatiently. I'm ridiculously visual with my writing, so I had a Pinterest picture for each idea. I don't know if that's helpful to the artist or not, but I do know it means that what I got today in my inbox was absolutely perfect. Just--so perfect. I saw a couple of teases, which is what I'm going to post here from Ben's Patreon page. (And by the way, I already posted that Patreon is one of those things you can do for the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can support artists so they can keep making amazing things. I'm going to become one of Ben's Patreon's, too).
The first image is a snap from a 6 panel "Graphic novel style" piece he did of a moment in the story where one of the characters' quests comes to its watery end:
copyright Ben J. Adams, 2015.Things I love about this include the "Hanged man" pose he caught for Marine Lance Corporal Jarrod Knighton, the guy in the center. And if you look up, there's a tiny little human shape above him. That's a voodoo doll that Knighton was delivering to the Gulf of Mexico, and the doll mirrors the "sacrificial" pose perfectly. Didn't know there were mermaids down there at the tip of Louisiana's boot, did ya? Y'all be careful down there.
This gorgeous image below is of my protagonist, Marie French. She's amazing and strong and I'm so glad I met her. She's got more adventures to go on, too.... you have to read and review the first of my books if you want to get the sequel though, cause that's the way this project works.... Let me just say, she's going to Memphis, eventually, and there may even be a King sighting in my magical apocalypse. But that's for later. For now: ART!
This image is a very small snip of the overall picture cause I don't want to give away too much and "spoiler" you. But it takes place in Jackson Square, New Orleans. When you read my book in under a month (squeeee!) you'll get to see more amazingness from the picture.
When I got the full versions today in my inbox I really did just cry. There is something so amazing about this. It may not have been a full on "ugly cry" but it was teared up, crying, happy. I never really thought about the impact that art can have on your novel. How it feels to have your ideas, which didn't even exist six months ago.
I do, however, remember as a kid reading books and just pouring over the images in them. My favorite ever version of Little Women was one that had illustrations of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, some in color. I would stare at them and just take in everything. I loved that darn book. I even wrote my Master's Thesis on it. It's meant a lot to me, and I have to say that I think something to the artwork might have triggered that love, that belief in the power of beautiful images. The dog chewed that hardback library book up, actually, and I had to buy it from the library. I was actually kind of happy about that, to be honest.
Most "grown up" books don't include graphics like this, and I think that's really a shame. And it's part of why I'm really proud to be producing MY work, my way. Yes, it's a little bit more expensive to commission a piece of artwork for your novel, but I can promise you, these are getting framed and put up in my house. And I think there are going to be t-shirts. And whatever else I can think of. It's all part of what is great about indie publishing. We can break rules. And innovate. It's going to change the world.
And I really do love it. It's a little bit different as apocalypses go (apocalypti? tuses?) so you're going to have to trust me on the magic stuff. But I think you're going to love it too.
The Art of the Apocalypse
One of the things that I found out when I first decided I wanted to be an indie publisher of my work was that as an indie, you have a lot of freedoms that traditional publishing won't go for. Like art work.
I've already talked about the cover art I'll get at the end of this month, and shared other amazing covers from my friends' books. I've been like a kid waiting for Christmas over that, for sure, and as soon as its ready it will be here on the blog. But I also commissioned two pieces of art that illustrate parts of my story, Hoodoopocalypse, from the amazingly talented Ben Adams.
I gave him my ideas for what I wanted in a long email and waited impatiently. I'm ridiculously visual with my writing, so I had a Pinterest picture for each idea. I don't know if that's helpful to the artist or not, but I do know it means that what I got today in my inbox was absolutely perfect. Just--so perfect. I saw a couple of teases, which is what I'm going to post here from Ben's Patreon page. (And by the way, I already posted that Patreon is one of those things you can do for the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can support artists so they can keep making amazing things. I'm going to become one of Ben's Patreon's, too).
The first image is a snap from a 6 panel "Graphic novel style" piece he did of a moment in the story where one of the characters' quests comes to its watery end:
copyright Ben J. Adams, 2015.
Things I love about this include the "Hanged man" pose he caught for Marine Lance Corporal Jarrod Knighton, the guy in the center. And if you look up, there's a tiny little human shape above him. That's a voodoo doll that Knighton was delivering to the Gulf of Mexico, and the doll mirrors the "sacrificial" pose perfectly. Didn't know there were mermaids down there at the tip of Louisiana's boot, did ya? Y'all be careful down there.
This gorgeous image below is of my protagonist, Marie French. She's amazing and strong and I'm so glad I met her. She's got more adventures to go on, too.... you have to read and review the first of my books if you want to get the sequel though, cause that's the way this project works.... Let me just say, she's going to Memphis, eventually, and there may even be a King sighting in my magical apocalypse. But that's for later. For now: ART!
This image is a very small snip of the overall picture cause I don't want to give away too much and "spoiler" you. But it takes place in Jackson Square, New Orleans. When you read my book in under a month (squeeee!) you'll get to see more amazingness from the picture.
When I got the full versions today in my inbox I really did just cry. There is something so amazing about this. It may not have been a full on "ugly cry" but it was teared up, crying, happy. I never really thought about the impact that art can have on your novel. How it feels to have your ideas, which didn't even exist six months ago, which I hadn't even thought up before I was invited to do this Apocalypse Weird project, represented visually.
I do, however, remember as a kid reading books and just pouring over the images in them. My favorite ever version of Little Women was one that had illustrations of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, some in color. I would stare at them and just take in everything. I loved that darn book. I even wrote my Master's Thesis on it. It's meant a lot to me, and I have to say that I think something to the artwork might have triggered that love, that beleif in the power of beautiful images. The dog chewed that hardback library book up, actually, and I had to buy it from the library. I was actually kind of happy about that, to be honest.
Most "grown up" books don't include graphics like this, and I think that's really a shame. And it's part of why I'm really proud to be producing MY work, my way. Yes, it's a little bit more expensive to commission a piece of artwork for your novel, but I can promise you, these are getting framed and put up in my house. And I think there are going to be t-shirts. And whatever else I can think of. It's all part of what is great about indie publishing. We can break rules. And innovate. It's going to change the world.
I'm really grateful to the folks at Wonderment Media, Nick Cole & Michael Bunker, who saw something in the story I wrote for the Tales From Pennsylvania anthology that made them think I could do the work on this novel.
Because I really do love it. It's a little bit different as apocalypses go (apocalypti? tuses?) so you're going to have to trust me on the magic stuff. But I think you're going to love it too. My book will launch March 10... not so long from now. It's in the hands of the editors & formatters and out of mine right now. But I can't wait to get my grubby paws on it when it's in print. I might just cuddle up with it like a kid with a favorite teddy bear.
It's only five days until the launch of the first wave of the books, which will be next Monday, the 23rd. Some of them are already available for pre-order, and you can get the Red King permafree on Amazon. That's the book by Nick that started this whole crazy collaborative project, which features a bunch of writers I'm genuinely proud to call my friends, and which is the start of something Wonderful. Amazing. Apocalyptically Weird.
Come to our launch party on Facebook on Monday. These people have all become my friends, and they are a really great bunch of people to chat with. Funny, smart, kind. Keep the gin away from Doctor Midnite, though. He gets a little (shall we say) crazy.
It's the start of an epic collection of multiple, converging story lines directed by an overarching narrative created by WMI. Five novels are launching the venture: Texocalypse Now by Michael Bunker and Nick Cole, The Dark Knight by Nick Cole, Reversal by Jennifer Ellis, The Serenity Strain by Chris Pourteau, and Immunity by E.E. Giorgi.
The current host schedule is (all times PST):
2:00-3:00 PM: Chris Pourteau & Lesley Smith3:00-4:00 PM: Nick Cole & Forbes West4:00-5:00 PM: Hank Garner & Eric Tozzi5:00-6:00 PM: Kim Wells (that's me!) 6:00-7:00 PM: E. E. Giorgi & Kevin G. Summers7:00-8:00 PM: Michael Bunker & Stefan Bolz8:00-9:00 PM: Jennifer Ellis In addition to the usual fab books and stuff given away, the grand prize will be a Tier Two AW contract for the best pitch. I'll be giving away, for example, one of my book trailers for a lucky author, artist, or whomever.
Anyway. I've blabbered enough here. It's really fun, and amazing. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I'm so glad I said "yes" to that email that turned up in my inbox a few months ago.
This is the start of something really Weird.
I've already talked about the cover art I'll get at the end of this month, and shared other amazing covers from my friends' books. I've been like a kid waiting for Christmas over that, for sure, and as soon as its ready it will be here on the blog. But I also commissioned two pieces of art that illustrate parts of my story, Hoodoopocalypse, from the amazingly talented Ben Adams.
I gave him my ideas for what I wanted in a long email and waited impatiently. I'm ridiculously visual with my writing, so I had a Pinterest picture for each idea. I don't know if that's helpful to the artist or not, but I do know it means that what I got today in my inbox was absolutely perfect. Just--so perfect. I saw a couple of teases, which is what I'm going to post here from Ben's Patreon page. (And by the way, I already posted that Patreon is one of those things you can do for the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you can support artists so they can keep making amazing things. I'm going to become one of Ben's Patreon's, too).
The first image is a snap from a 6 panel "Graphic novel style" piece he did of a moment in the story where one of the characters' quests comes to its watery end:
copyright Ben J. Adams, 2015.Things I love about this include the "Hanged man" pose he caught for Marine Lance Corporal Jarrod Knighton, the guy in the center. And if you look up, there's a tiny little human shape above him. That's a voodoo doll that Knighton was delivering to the Gulf of Mexico, and the doll mirrors the "sacrificial" pose perfectly. Didn't know there were mermaids down there at the tip of Louisiana's boot, did ya? Y'all be careful down there.
This gorgeous image below is of my protagonist, Marie French. She's amazing and strong and I'm so glad I met her. She's got more adventures to go on, too.... you have to read and review the first of my books if you want to get the sequel though, cause that's the way this project works.... Let me just say, she's going to Memphis, eventually, and there may even be a King sighting in my magical apocalypse. But that's for later. For now: ART!
This image is a very small snip of the overall picture cause I don't want to give away too much and "spoiler" you. But it takes place in Jackson Square, New Orleans. When you read my book in under a month (squeeee!) you'll get to see more amazingness from the picture.
When I got the full versions today in my inbox I really did just cry. There is something so amazing about this. It may not have been a full on "ugly cry" but it was teared up, crying, happy. I never really thought about the impact that art can have on your novel. How it feels to have your ideas, which didn't even exist six months ago, which I hadn't even thought up before I was invited to do this Apocalypse Weird project, represented visually.
I do, however, remember as a kid reading books and just pouring over the images in them. My favorite ever version of Little Women was one that had illustrations of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, some in color. I would stare at them and just take in everything. I loved that darn book. I even wrote my Master's Thesis on it. It's meant a lot to me, and I have to say that I think something to the artwork might have triggered that love, that beleif in the power of beautiful images. The dog chewed that hardback library book up, actually, and I had to buy it from the library. I was actually kind of happy about that, to be honest.
Most "grown up" books don't include graphics like this, and I think that's really a shame. And it's part of why I'm really proud to be producing MY work, my way. Yes, it's a little bit more expensive to commission a piece of artwork for your novel, but I can promise you, these are getting framed and put up in my house. And I think there are going to be t-shirts. And whatever else I can think of. It's all part of what is great about indie publishing. We can break rules. And innovate. It's going to change the world.
I'm really grateful to the folks at Wonderment Media, Nick Cole & Michael Bunker, who saw something in the story I wrote for the Tales From Pennsylvania anthology that made them think I could do the work on this novel.
Because I really do love it. It's a little bit different as apocalypses go (apocalypti? tuses?) so you're going to have to trust me on the magic stuff. But I think you're going to love it too. My book will launch March 10... not so long from now. It's in the hands of the editors & formatters and out of mine right now. But I can't wait to get my grubby paws on it when it's in print. I might just cuddle up with it like a kid with a favorite teddy bear.
It's only five days until the launch of the first wave of the books, which will be next Monday, the 23rd. Some of them are already available for pre-order, and you can get the Red King permafree on Amazon. That's the book by Nick that started this whole crazy collaborative project, which features a bunch of writers I'm genuinely proud to call my friends, and which is the start of something Wonderful. Amazing. Apocalyptically Weird.
Come to our launch party on Facebook on Monday. These people have all become my friends, and they are a really great bunch of people to chat with. Funny, smart, kind. Keep the gin away from Doctor Midnite, though. He gets a little (shall we say) crazy.
It's the start of an epic collection of multiple, converging story lines directed by an overarching narrative created by WMI. Five novels are launching the venture: Texocalypse Now by Michael Bunker and Nick Cole, The Dark Knight by Nick Cole, Reversal by Jennifer Ellis, The Serenity Strain by Chris Pourteau, and Immunity by E.E. Giorgi.
The current host schedule is (all times PST):
2:00-3:00 PM: Chris Pourteau & Lesley Smith3:00-4:00 PM: Nick Cole & Forbes West4:00-5:00 PM: Hank Garner & Eric Tozzi5:00-6:00 PM: Kim Wells (that's me!) 6:00-7:00 PM: E. E. Giorgi & Kevin G. Summers7:00-8:00 PM: Michael Bunker & Stefan Bolz8:00-9:00 PM: Jennifer Ellis In addition to the usual fab books and stuff given away, the grand prize will be a Tier Two AW contract for the best pitch. I'll be giving away, for example, one of my book trailers for a lucky author, artist, or whomever.
Anyway. I've blabbered enough here. It's really fun, and amazing. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I'm so glad I said "yes" to that email that turned up in my inbox a few months ago.
This is the start of something really Weird.
February 12, 2015
the Hoodoopocalypse is coming
So my novel, Hoodoopocalypse, set in New Orleans & Shreveport, is set to launch in less than a month now! EEK! The deadlines & artwork & edits are in the works. That means a lot of it is currently out of my hands.
It's such a neat story. Beta readers have loved it, and I'm really excited about sharing it with a wider audience. This picture isn't the cover art, just something fun I kicked together for my FB banner. But I really love my sad little voodoo doll.
About Hoodoopocalypse Kalfu, the ultimate evil-twin and Voodoo Loa of the afterworld and crossroads kicks off his plans for possession of the Southern Mississippi corridor. Dark half of Papa Legba, Kalfu sets off events that cripple New Orleans, tries to take control of the over 9 million visitors to the Big Easy a year, and seeds his Hoodoo mafia, the Guédé, across Louisiana and the world. If the fire, category HUGE hurricane spawned by magical means, and roving mobs of mayhem-inducing zombi astrals don’t get you, the angry goddess and nuclear meltdown might. Laissez the End Times Roulez, y’all. The Apocalypse just came to the South.
About Apocalypse Weird Founded by best-selling indie authors, Apocalypse Weird (http://apocalypseweird.com/) represents a first-of-its-kind publishing initiative run by and for independent authors. Like Marvel Comics before it, AW is a brand world where writers and fans come together to share a world of cross-cutting storylines, triumphant heroes, and non-stop adventure. On Feb. 23, 2015, AW will launch its first five novels to the public, each of them dealing with the theme of apocalyptic events seen in such popular TV shows like The Walking Dead.
It's such a neat story. Beta readers have loved it, and I'm really excited about sharing it with a wider audience. This picture isn't the cover art, just something fun I kicked together for my FB banner. But I really love my sad little voodoo doll.
About Hoodoopocalypse Kalfu, the ultimate evil-twin and Voodoo Loa of the afterworld and crossroads kicks off his plans for possession of the Southern Mississippi corridor. Dark half of Papa Legba, Kalfu sets off events that cripple New Orleans, tries to take control of the over 9 million visitors to the Big Easy a year, and seeds his Hoodoo mafia, the Guédé, across Louisiana and the world. If the fire, category HUGE hurricane spawned by magical means, and roving mobs of mayhem-inducing zombi astrals don’t get you, the angry goddess and nuclear meltdown might. Laissez the End Times Roulez, y’all. The Apocalypse just came to the South.
About Apocalypse Weird Founded by best-selling indie authors, Apocalypse Weird (http://apocalypseweird.com/) represents a first-of-its-kind publishing initiative run by and for independent authors. Like Marvel Comics before it, AW is a brand world where writers and fans come together to share a world of cross-cutting storylines, triumphant heroes, and non-stop adventure. On Feb. 23, 2015, AW will launch its first five novels to the public, each of them dealing with the theme of apocalyptic events seen in such popular TV shows like The Walking Dead.
February 4, 2015
A Writer's Lament in Winter
I tried to be a gardener.
Planted pink and yellow flowers,
arranged pocked-white limestone rocks
in spiral patterns, dreaming of fibonacci,
a big Zen fountain in the middle.
There was beauty for a while.
Spring and Fall and another Spring and Fall have come
and the garden is more weeds than not.
Moss pokes through the holes in one of the white rocks.
I tuck my head down,
ignore the mess and run away inside to the words.
Words. I can cultivate those. Prune here. Plant a seed
that will take root and life and spring up
there.
Pull the flowers out
cover it with grass
because I do not care what the neighbors think of
my green thumb.
These thumbs are bleeding ink.
KAW
Feb '15
Planted pink and yellow flowers,
arranged pocked-white limestone rocks
in spiral patterns, dreaming of fibonacci,
a big Zen fountain in the middle.
There was beauty for a while.
Spring and Fall and another Spring and Fall have come
and the garden is more weeds than not.
Moss pokes through the holes in one of the white rocks.
I tuck my head down,
ignore the mess and run away inside to the words.
Words. I can cultivate those. Prune here. Plant a seed
that will take root and life and spring up
there.
Pull the flowers out
cover it with grass
because I do not care what the neighbors think of
my green thumb.
These thumbs are bleeding ink.
KAW
Feb '15
January 29, 2015
Post Office Throwdown
---or, why Mama don't play.
---or, guess what dude just about got whupped at the post office today...
---or, Gee Whiz why do I prefer to spend MORE money by going to the UPS store?
So I'm at the post office, sending out three signed books and a Nook a fan won at my book party a week or so ago. Signs clearly say "Fill out all forms before getting to counter." So I dutifully filled out what I could.
But one of the books was going to the UK, so I needed a customs form. Dammit!
Oh, and an important detail: the clerk did NOT say I could come right back. I was expected to return to the back of the line. This is crucial to remember when you think I'm a jerk later.
So I went and filled out my form. I figured out I have to buy 3.50 worth of freakin' packing tape too. Dammit again. UPS store is looking better again.
I get back in line-- which is now significantly longer than it was last time I stood there for 15 minutes. Sigh. Heavy Sigh. With one hand I type sarcastic comment on Facebook.
There's one person on duty, in spite of it being peak business hours. Other employees are there-- they just aren't helping with the lobby traffic.
Then I see this dude who didn't have his crap filled out. He got his stuff sent back. I stand in line for another few minutes and finally, I'm at the front. This has taken about 30 minutes, all total. Obviously, some of it was my fault. I should have realized I needed to fill out a customs form and had it ready.
So I'm standing there and there are probably about 10 people in the line behind me. Dude who didn't fill out his forms comes weaseling up to the side of me. Like he wanted cuts.
I do not make eye contact with him, but then I think "Aw, Hell No." I said to him "I don't mean to be rude, but you need to go to the back of the line. I had to go to the back of the line, too, when my stuff wasn't quite ready."
He whines and says "She told me to come to the front." This is what makes me the maddest. Why did HE get told to get cuts when no one else that day had? Uh Uh. Nope. He still stands to the side of me and I'm like NOPE.
When the lady in front of me leaves, I walk up to the counter. He says something to the clerk (I was too mad to be paying perfect attention.) She looked out at him, and I said something like "I had to go back; he should have to do the same. That's not right." Clerk looks at me and then at him and possibly realizes her unfair mistake. And then he says to the people in line (I'm guessing someone must have smiled sympathetically at the B-word woman being so mean to the poor guy). "She just wants to get in front of me but I been waiting." But seriously. He had not been waiting very long, at all. He had come in while I was filling out my customs form during a short time when the line was actually pretty short. I know this because I was anxiously trying to hurry and fill out my form, but by the time I got it done, around the time he hit the front of the line, a big rush came in. Dammit again.
Uh uh. Dude. I said to him, and the waiting line "Oh no way. I have been here 30 minutes and you should not be cutting everyone."
I'm pretty sure the other people in the line agree with me, especially the guy with about 50 letters to mail. It's busy, and no one wants to see people cut in line. Fill out your damn forms or go to the back, like the rest of us did.
I finished my business, walked out. Several people in line looked at me like they wished they had the balls to say something, but they didn't. I'm pretty sure whiney dude cut.
I don't care. Mama don't play. He's lucky I didn't go all sorority girl and punt something that rhymes with punt. I know he's a guy, but I'm pretty sure he had one.
There was a time when I would have been nice and never said anything. My mom used to be rather unwilling to put up with crap and as a teenager, this, of course, mortified me. So for many years I was just nice, and would have stood there and, resentfully, let him go.
That time is not now. Dear Post Office Lady: Get your mess together. Do not let some people cut and some people not. You're just asking for there to be a Jerry Springer moment in your post office line.
---or, guess what dude just about got whupped at the post office today...
---or, Gee Whiz why do I prefer to spend MORE money by going to the UPS store?
So I'm at the post office, sending out three signed books and a Nook a fan won at my book party a week or so ago. Signs clearly say "Fill out all forms before getting to counter." So I dutifully filled out what I could.
But one of the books was going to the UK, so I needed a customs form. Dammit!
Oh, and an important detail: the clerk did NOT say I could come right back. I was expected to return to the back of the line. This is crucial to remember when you think I'm a jerk later.
So I went and filled out my form. I figured out I have to buy 3.50 worth of freakin' packing tape too. Dammit again. UPS store is looking better again.
I get back in line-- which is now significantly longer than it was last time I stood there for 15 minutes. Sigh. Heavy Sigh. With one hand I type sarcastic comment on Facebook.
There's one person on duty, in spite of it being peak business hours. Other employees are there-- they just aren't helping with the lobby traffic.
Then I see this dude who didn't have his crap filled out. He got his stuff sent back. I stand in line for another few minutes and finally, I'm at the front. This has taken about 30 minutes, all total. Obviously, some of it was my fault. I should have realized I needed to fill out a customs form and had it ready.
So I'm standing there and there are probably about 10 people in the line behind me. Dude who didn't fill out his forms comes weaseling up to the side of me. Like he wanted cuts.
I do not make eye contact with him, but then I think "Aw, Hell No." I said to him "I don't mean to be rude, but you need to go to the back of the line. I had to go to the back of the line, too, when my stuff wasn't quite ready."
He whines and says "She told me to come to the front." This is what makes me the maddest. Why did HE get told to get cuts when no one else that day had? Uh Uh. Nope. He still stands to the side of me and I'm like NOPE.
When the lady in front of me leaves, I walk up to the counter. He says something to the clerk (I was too mad to be paying perfect attention.) She looked out at him, and I said something like "I had to go back; he should have to do the same. That's not right." Clerk looks at me and then at him and possibly realizes her unfair mistake. And then he says to the people in line (I'm guessing someone must have smiled sympathetically at the B-word woman being so mean to the poor guy). "She just wants to get in front of me but I been waiting." But seriously. He had not been waiting very long, at all. He had come in while I was filling out my customs form during a short time when the line was actually pretty short. I know this because I was anxiously trying to hurry and fill out my form, but by the time I got it done, around the time he hit the front of the line, a big rush came in. Dammit again.
Uh uh. Dude. I said to him, and the waiting line "Oh no way. I have been here 30 minutes and you should not be cutting everyone."
I'm pretty sure the other people in the line agree with me, especially the guy with about 50 letters to mail. It's busy, and no one wants to see people cut in line. Fill out your damn forms or go to the back, like the rest of us did.
I finished my business, walked out. Several people in line looked at me like they wished they had the balls to say something, but they didn't. I'm pretty sure whiney dude cut.
I don't care. Mama don't play. He's lucky I didn't go all sorority girl and punt something that rhymes with punt. I know he's a guy, but I'm pretty sure he had one.
There was a time when I would have been nice and never said anything. My mom used to be rather unwilling to put up with crap and as a teenager, this, of course, mortified me. So for many years I was just nice, and would have stood there and, resentfully, let him go.
That time is not now. Dear Post Office Lady: Get your mess together. Do not let some people cut and some people not. You're just asking for there to be a Jerry Springer moment in your post office line.
