To Infinity and Beyond
Things have been really busy this year... really busy. I had three books published and I worked on two feature films. It is possible to make a living an author/filmmaker on the lower levels if you workworkwork...and if you don't have a mountain load of debt. Unfortunately, I do. This year I also attended three major conventions and ran a third year film festival (which turned out to be much more work than in past years). And I had to promote these projects. Frankly, there hasn't been enough time to promote all of them the way I'd have liked, and when I concentrate on promotion there isn't enough time to write. The new eternal struggle? My wife has gotten involved in some behind the scenes promoting, so that may lighten the load. I'm trying to direct a short documentary before the year is over.
2013 looks to be just as busy. In January I may write/direct/produce a project which I can't discuss yet. In February, SNOW SHARK: ANCIENT SNOW BEAST, which I produced, will be released on DVD. I have reason to believe this will be a real sleeper, fingers crossed. In the spring, I'm producing another low budget feature, which I also wrote. My attitude toward the films I produce is this: I'm happy to produce features which other filmmakers direct, paying it forward, but I don't want to direct anything that costs less than the $50,000 that SLIME CITY MASSACRE cost. That being said, I have a pretty good idea what the next film I'm going to direct will be, but it won't be this year. I will be directing a short in 2013, though.
Medallion Press will publish my novel THE JULIAN YEAR, the first TREEbook (Timed Reading Experience E-book). Writing it has been one of the most daunting creative challenges I've faced, and now that I'm editing the bulk of it (some material still needs to be written) I can also say it's been one of the most satisfying; a real case of knowing what I wanted the overall project to be, sticking to my guns, and being proud of the results. STORM DEMON, Book 5 of The Jake Helman Files will be published in October 2013. The Helman Files continues to be the creative project which makes me most proud. The film festival will continue, but with changes.
My daughter brought home an amazing report card today. Her highest grade was an A+, her lowest a B+, her reading level is a year ahead of her grade, and the comments were wonderful. I've got a great, smart and funny kid (also stubborn and temperamental...). Today in the mail I got the reprint of ALIEN: THE ILLUSTRATED STORY and she sat on my lap and I took her through it. She loves to read and she's obsessed with Spider-Man, and her curiosity about my projects is pretty thrilling.
2013 looks to be just as busy. In January I may write/direct/produce a project which I can't discuss yet. In February, SNOW SHARK: ANCIENT SNOW BEAST, which I produced, will be released on DVD. I have reason to believe this will be a real sleeper, fingers crossed. In the spring, I'm producing another low budget feature, which I also wrote. My attitude toward the films I produce is this: I'm happy to produce features which other filmmakers direct, paying it forward, but I don't want to direct anything that costs less than the $50,000 that SLIME CITY MASSACRE cost. That being said, I have a pretty good idea what the next film I'm going to direct will be, but it won't be this year. I will be directing a short in 2013, though.
Medallion Press will publish my novel THE JULIAN YEAR, the first TREEbook (Timed Reading Experience E-book). Writing it has been one of the most daunting creative challenges I've faced, and now that I'm editing the bulk of it (some material still needs to be written) I can also say it's been one of the most satisfying; a real case of knowing what I wanted the overall project to be, sticking to my guns, and being proud of the results. STORM DEMON, Book 5 of The Jake Helman Files will be published in October 2013. The Helman Files continues to be the creative project which makes me most proud. The film festival will continue, but with changes.
My daughter brought home an amazing report card today. Her highest grade was an A+, her lowest a B+, her reading level is a year ahead of her grade, and the comments were wonderful. I've got a great, smart and funny kid (also stubborn and temperamental...). Today in the mail I got the reprint of ALIEN: THE ILLUSTRATED STORY and she sat on my lap and I took her through it. She loves to read and she's obsessed with Spider-Man, and her curiosity about my projects is pretty thrilling.
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