Chat thread

[Andrew]

Desert island books lol I like that

[Ashe]

It's a movie. And not so much specifically about a supernatural prison. It just has one.

[Andrew]

Lol anyone here been to atl?

[[deleted user]]

Oddmonster wrote: "James wrote: "This is far too off-topic, now. To bring it back on topic:


Did you ever watch that Weird Western tv series,
The Adventures of Brisco County Zombie?
I liked his voodoo zombie maste..."

Yup. the whole Brisco County series is on dvd. I have a copy; check Amazon.

[Justin]

Weird Westerns Listopia here on Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...

There's a lot of cool and interesting books on here. Some I'm sure we have on our list here in the group and on our own lists.

[Ashe]

That is a pretty good list.

Also, crap, I forgot to set up voting for a March group read.

[Quentin]

hey Cowboys and Cowgirls

I'd rather not start a whole new thread for this so I'll just stick it here if that's cool. Im doing a giveaway on Amazon for a paperback copy (actually 2 copies) of the first Brackett Hollister book, THE WEREWOLF PACK. I know Ashe has been wanting a physical copy, so if anyone else is interested please check out the link:

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/216eb41...

I've never done one before but supposedly the 100th person to click wins or something like that.

Thanks!

[Justin]

Sweet, thanks for sharing Quentin.

[Justin]

We've reached 100 members everyone! wooooo!

[Ashe]

That is a weird rule but whatevs. I entered. I'm still planning on doing my best to support everyone's books when i can afford it though. Lord knows i'll need it once i get A Demon in the Desert finished and out.

[Ashe]

Also, whoo, 100 members! Celebrate!

[Quentin]

Hey guys. I got bored and tried something different on my blog. I think all of us in the Weird Western group have the same twisted sense of humor, so check this out if you feel like a laugh:

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Thanks!

[Justin]

Weird West Radio
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/men-w...

[audrey]

Justin wrote: "Weird West Radio
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/men-w..."

As a radio dj myself, DIG IT.

[John]

Hi gang, forgive the self-promotion, but I just wanted to let you know that today the Western Writers of America announced that my book, "The Battle of the Little Bighorn," is a 2015 Spur Award Finalist. Among Western writers, that's kind of a big deal. In the words of Wild Bill Hickok in "Ghost Marshal," I'm as happy as a puppy dog with two tails!

Okay, brag mode off. As you were.

[Quentin]

Congrats John, and good luck!

[Ashe]

Congrats, dude. Hope you win it.

[[deleted user]]

Congrats and good luck!

[John]

Thanks, guys!

[Chris]

congratulations!

[Justin]

Right now I'm currently working on some Weird Western boards on Pinterest. I'm making one for my book which will include characters, settings, weaponry and anything else I think may be worth showcasing.

[Chris]

Good idea using pintrest. I've saved some pics to my pc, but having them all in one place that is Web based is great.

[Chris]

Ya'll I slept for two and a half hours last night. All of which was while sitting up in a chair with my two year old. Any of you have kids? If so, you'll know all about seperation anxiety and the countless months of sleepless night.

Cue the two dimensional light bulb icon above my brain, indicationg an idea.

A cowboy outlaw screws up a train job dew to sleep deprivation and his atempts to explain/justify the gang's collective failure.

"Now Pete, I know you got kids, so you know what I'm taking bout. After staying up with my boy all night, I can barely pistol whip my way through a congregation of old women, much less shoot a moving target while riding a horse. I'm lucky I didn't fall down and break my leg or somthing. Anyway, the Mrs takes care of our boy on Saturday nights so I can get a good nights sleep. So the next time we plan a train job, lets schedule if fer a Sunday. Maybe at midday. That way I can even get a sleep-in Alright. Ya'll concur? No? Pete?"

[Ashe]

Things have been pretty quiet lately. What's everyone up to?

Christopher, that sounds like it could work well in a short story.

[Quentin]

Hey Ashe and fellow weird westerners.

Just been reading and writing and working mostly. I have a book of short stories I hope to get out maybe by the end of the month.

[[deleted user]]

Busy with personal issues and demanding day job. In the process of looking for cover designers; finally have some money to get a pair done.

[Justin]

I'm currently promoting my two books of poetry since its National Poetry Month. Also working on book # 4 and just recently had a story featured in Dark Gothic Resurrected Magazines Spring Issue.

[Ashe]

Congrats on the new releases, guys.

Hope everything smooths out, Philip. Hope the personal stuff isn't too rough.

[Chris]

Hi all. Ive not written much in the last month. After weeks on end of sleeping 3 and 4 hours a night, all I want to do is go to bed in the evenings.
... things are looking up though. I hopeto get back in the swing of things in the next few days.

[audrey]

Quentin wrote: "Hey Ashe and fellow weird westerners. Just been reading and writing and working mostly."

What've you been reading?

[Quentin]

Oddmonster wrote: "Quentin wrote: "Hey Ashe and fellow weird westerners. Just been reading and writing and working mostly."

What've you been reading?"

I read all four of the books from our poll. In addition to the two that won, I read "A Bloody Bloody Mess in the Wild Wild West" and I read "West of Dead". It was all pretty good stuff but that's a lotta of western zombies to take in all together like that lol

[Ashe]

Maybe I'll make the next group reads theme werewolves.

[Quentin]

Ashe wrote: "Maybe I'll make the next group reads theme werewolves."

That works for me for sure lol

[audrey]

Quentin wrote: "I read all four of the books from our poll. ..."

...That's a whole bunch of any kind of zombies to take in all together! Holy crow. How was Bloody Mess?

[Quentin]

Bloody Mess was pretty good. It's got a bit of a twist to the zombie thing. I won't go into detail but let's say Satan is involved. It's not too long and it's a good short read.

[Ashe]

And yes, Quentin, I was kinda goin through themes in my head to get everyone's books out for reading.

[Quentin]

Cool, I'll be glad when Orcs come around too then!

[Ashe]

We have pretty deliberate themes with everyone. I think Eric and Justin are the only ones who had any overlap, with zombies. You've got werewolves. Philip has a big, steampunk/post-apocalyptic thing. John has ghosts. SA has a portal fantasy, plus a little bit of everything with the Outlaw King books. And I'll have demons and what I like to think of as the logical next step in the standard tropes. So, it's pretty easy to do themes.

Am I missing anyone with a book?

[audrey]

Ashe wrote: "I made a Patreon for anyone who feels like giving me moneys for words."

You know, posting a Patreon or other Give Me Money link in this group feels like we've crossed some kind of important line between what's acceptable in terms of self-promotion. This group already has one of the highest levels of self-promoting authorial content I've ever seen, plus you've already linked earlier to your Kickstarter. This really doesn't sit well with me as a reader.

[Ashe]

Ah, sorry. Don't wanna cross any lines. I know self-promotion runs a fine line to begin with. I'm just tryin to get some money coming in. But if it makes you uncomfortable, then I'll remove the link. Apologies.

[Andrew]

Hello westerners, sorry for not participating over the last few months. I've been a bit distracted because, after starting my WW series End Trails in Jan/Feb, I've been getting a parallel series (Dark Matters, dark-sf/horror) off the ground. The first two books of that are now out, the third is queued up for next month and the fourth (for post-summer) will be an easy job, so I'm free to work on other things for quite a bit.

My plan is to have four titles in both series by the end of the year, so I'll be working on WWs again over the next four months, alongside a few other projects. I've just started a webcomic with a couple of friends (it's not funny yet, of course... see 2016) and I'm writing a YA fantasy, though it's only in the early stages.

I'm also thinking of dusting off an old, unfinished sf/f novel to see if I can convert it into the beginning of a serial. If I'm able to transform the chapters I've already got into the first seven monthly episodes, then it would be a nice challenge try and keep up the pace finishing the rest while those come out.

Just trying to keep busy, you know!

[Chris]

hi andrew. dang, where do you find the time. I'm Green with envy.
(Actually I'm Green from the tacos I ate for dinner. The secret ingredient rhymes with food poisoning. ... But that's another story entirely).
is writing your full time job or something you do after your 9 to 5?

[Chris]

a question for everyone.

How many of you out there actually write for a living? Is it even plausible to pay the bills without working a 9-5 to subsidise. I understand this depends on numerous factors, but it would be beautiful to have even a glimmer of hope of quitting my day job.

... okay, so am add on question. What is everyone's day job?

I work in procurement for the NZ government. (paper pusher... But I can write one hell of a business case)

[Andrew]

Christopher wrote: "hi andrew. dang, where do you find the time. I'm Green with envy.

...is writing your full time job or something you do after your 9 to 5? "

Full time, for just over three years. I used to work for myself, so I paid myself peanuts and saved every penny, but I wasn't very productive with my writing. Then I tried to balance writing and a part-time job, and discovered that I still wasn't being productive only now I wasn't even able to save either. So I quit!

It still took my a while to become useful after that. 2012 was okay, but in 2013 I wrote a novel and it was published in 2014... and this year that novel vanished because my publisher folded, so I'm a little bit back to square one.

Now I'm gradually eroding my savings to the point where I'll have no choice but to rejoin the real world! At the moment I can stave that off until sometime in 2016, but I'm getting titles out there, and every penny that comes in helps push that sad day back a little further.

It really is pennies though, sadly!

[John]

Andrew, hang in there, brother. Even if you get a full-time job to pay the bills, you're still a writer, no matter what. Think of it as gaining more life experience and observing quirky humanity as fuel for ideas for your future books! No shame in that.

[Quentin]

John! Did you make it back with all fingers and toes intact? lol

[John]

Yep, the dogsledding adventure was fantastic. Soooo much fun mushing through the timber and across the frozen lakes near the Boundary Waters. Definitely working the experience into the next Ghost Marshal book.

[Ashe]

Did I miss you saying you were goin on a dogsledding adventure? Man, John, you get all the interesting things. :P

[John]

Lol, Ashe. Life is an adventure, go for it!

I found out last week that I have permission this summer to hike up a "haunted" mesa in New Mexico on private land. It's where the final battle between good and evil takes place in the last part of the "Ghost Marshal" trilogy. Happy to research it firsthand. It looks like a gorgeous spot. I'm sure the ghosts will be happy to share the view. :)

[[deleted user]]

John wrote: "Lol, Ashe. Life is an adventure, go for it!

I found out last week that I have permission this summer to hike up a "haunted" mesa in New Mexico on private land. It's where the final battle betwee..."

Wow, awesome John! We're moving out that way later this year and I'm looking to learning more about New Mexico folklore and supposed haunts.