tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47050525668276149702024-03-13T10:11:05.702-05:00Digital Dreamers, IncVarious views and ramblings from author Marcus Pelegrimas. Basically, 1 step above talking to myself.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comBlogger454125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-32818329683672749632015-04-14T11:57:00.000-05:002015-04-14T11:57:00.253-05:00Oh, so THAT'S why I can't shake this headache!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sXQSmB1voZk/SCh-v9YnPwI/AAAAAAAAANk/liQpdDztPeU/s1600/Fawlty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sXQSmB1voZk/SCh-v9YnPwI/AAAAAAAAANk/liQpdDztPeU/s1600/Fawlty.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>No big news, but I thought I'd check in. Here are a few things going on in the glamorous life of a professional writer! Get ready to quit your jobs, kids. After this, you'll want nothing more than to join me on the front lines of literary greatness.<br />
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- Speaking of jobs, my search for a normal one goes on. And, by normal, I mean "paying" or "steady" or even "one that doesn't kick me in the balls on a daily basis". Maybe that last one is overly dramatic. The kicks come maybe once or twice a week actually. Also, that's most jobs. Anyway, there were a few prospects that seemed like sure bets and I haven't heard anything from them. Times are hard...the economy...blah, blah. Anyone know where I can sign on for one of those underground prize <br />
fight clubs or evil mercenary gigs I read so much about? Hey! Comic books count as reading!!<br />
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- Been watching Daredevil on Netflix. Ahhhh. Finally, something good has happened. Gritty and true to the source material. I've been doing my best to ration myself. Binge watching only means waiting longer for the next season.<br />
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- Those brat burgers I mentioned last post are AMAZING!! Worth every calorie.<br />
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- Sat down to start writing again for the first time in a long while. It feels good to get back to my REAL work. On the agenda for the immediate future is some western series work for ebooks and getting off my ass to FINALLY get the second Gillis Ledgers book out there. That one's been written for a while and the cover is even done. Looks great. I just got sidetracked before edits could be made. Won't be long before another of my spawn is out and about.<br />
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- Filed my taxes. Was informed they were rejected. Filed them again. Waiting. Sigh. What's the matter, IRS? Can't wait to get my IOU for a couple hundred bucks??<br />
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You might have spotted a common theme through this and several other posts around here. Waiting. Ugh. Don't remind me. Oh yeah, you didn't remind me. I reminded me. I hate me sometimes!!!!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-14397251373776174592015-04-12T13:51:00.002-05:002015-04-12T13:51:36.243-05:00I'm Weak. So Very, Very Weak.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pp0iasYur2w/STrN6Vvy5DI/AAAAAAAAAek/FQ8TA8gy7pw/s1600/ratatouille_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pp0iasYur2w/STrN6Vvy5DI/AAAAAAAAAek/FQ8TA8gy7pw/s1600/ratatouille_3.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a>Whenever I go grocery shopping, I've gotten into the habit of picking out one item upon which to bestow the glorious title of Grocery of the Day. As I've said numerous times throughout my books, the secret to a happy life is cheap thrills.<br />
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So this time, I was after some turkey burgers. I usually get the frozen ones with jalapeno or jack cheese. They're not great calorie-wise, but better than the alternative. Sitting directly beside them were the Johnsonville Brat burgers. SO much higher in calories, but oh so delicious! The last time I had one was before I was watching my weight and I still dream about them. I was going to be good and get my turkey burgers...until I saw the brat burgers with Swiss cheese and mushrooms!! After about two or three seconds of deliberation, I snagged me a box of those.<br />
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Sure they might be higher in calories than even the regular brat burgers, but how could I pass up the Grocery of the Day??!!! Thank you, Johnsonville. Thank you so bloody much.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-65435457846204712252015-04-09T12:34:00.002-05:002015-04-09T12:34:54.025-05:00Insanity. Gotta Have It!When I was speaking at that high school gathering a little while ago, one of the students asked me if I was crazy. She was a great listener and was eager to learn about our craft, which means I don't think she was yanking my chain. Most likely, I wasn't the first writer she's encountered which means she already knew that we're all a little crazy. Either that, or I had a particularly wild look in my eyes that sometimes makes people feel "uncomfortable" around me. Heh.<br />
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What I believe is that she already knew what it takes to be even a mild success in any creative field. You gotta have a lot of heart, iron will and a complete disregard for practicality. In fact, a well known doctor and brilliant thinker once called practicality the last refuge of the mediocre. Of course, that man was Dr. Miguelito Loveless from The Wild Wild West, but his words still ring true. If we are to succeed as artists, we must fight to maintain our spirit while most everything around us tries to grind it down.<br />
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Money, power, a corner office, those sorts of things don't really make a dent to the artistic parts of the brain. Unfortunately, the artistic part of some people's brain (prime example: ME) overshadows damn near everything else. Folks like us don't see the point of sacrificing time and effort to hoard all those small pieces of paper. We yearn for experiences, emotion and the fantastic. Would I love to be rich? Sure! There's always the chance that one of my books could hit it big in one way or another, but that's a gamble I take with every word I type. Would I do what needs to be done to take the more certain way of getting material success? Would I devote myself to learning the game of finance and big business to amass wealth? Nah. I'm just not made that way. I'm not condemning people who do throw themselves into the business world. I just don't get it and wouldn't be any good at it. I know my limitations.<br />
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As I mentioned a few posts ago, I'm looking for a day job to supplement my income. That's definitely been reminding me of just how unqualified I am for just about everything else that's out there. It's lead to a good deal of frustration, mainly with myself, for not having any marketable skills. I think back to all those years when I could have been bettering myself in a more practical way. That sure would have made things easier for me now.<br />
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But even here, at the point where I feel the pinch more than ever, I simply don't regret being impractical. This is just how I am. This is just how WE, as artists and creative folks, are. Is that crazy? Strictly speaking...yeah. A little. But at least it ain't mediocre.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-83786401238936182172015-04-02T20:34:00.000-05:002015-04-02T20:34:09.736-05:00Mr. Marcus goes to the LibraryI don't get out much. It's best that I lead with that because I don't know any better. My human interaction is fairly limited because...well...see Line #1.<br />
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Heh. Seriously, though, I ventured out into the world today so I could join some of the bright-eyed Creative Writing students at Hurricane High School for a Q & A session / writing workshop / pizza party. At least, they were as bright-eyed as one might expect for students within a day and a half of spring break. They were actually great and it always does me a lot of good to see so much enthusiasm for the written word.<br />
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I hear a lot of griping (and do plenty of it myself) about this industry and the current state of literary affairs. What's really important, though, is that there are still fresh talents out there striving to take up this noble calling. Yes, I do believe this is a noble calling. Storytelling is one of humanity's greatest accomplishments next to music, philosophy and mixing chocolate with peanut butter. It does me a whole lot of good to go out and meet the creators of the next wave of books, poems, and general creative goodness. I even got to hear a few samples of their work and I hated them! Only because I wasn't so good when I was in high school!!<br />
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All jealousy aside, it was a great day and I was very impressed. Of course, they did butter me up with pizza and brownies, so...there's that.<br />
<br />Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-14409441327824606642015-03-30T11:25:00.002-05:002015-03-30T11:25:48.631-05:00Time for Plan C. I've Got a Plan C, Right?I won't bore you with another "it's tough out there" rant, although I can't promise I won't bore you with it some other time. Lately, however, I've been on the hunt for a day job and it's been brutal. What's particularly depressing is that many jobs that fall under the category of "I can always get one of those when I'm desperate" are turning me down. Call center stuff, production work, customer care, all things that I've done plenty of times before in plenty of other places now don't find me qualified.<br />
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Bad economy. I'm old. I'm over / under qualified. Doesn't really matter anymore. The reasons are all just topics for discussion while the bills keep piling up. I can be somewhat charming in person, but the whole begging for more time routine is wearing thin with my landlord. Oh well. The only reason I bring it up is because today marks the start of training for a great job I thought I had LOCKED UP. Testing went well. The interview was awesome. I'm ideally located. My history is pretty good. But...nope. Very disheartening.<br />
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This topic, while not very cheerful or inspiring, seems appropriate today since it's Vincent van Gogh's birthday. Unappreciated in his time, poor and depressed. Hmmm. Seems vaguely familiar. Not that I think for a moment that my books will ever rise to the level of his paintings, but at least I can relate to the poor and depressed artist thing.<br />
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Wah-wahhhhhhh.<br />
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I promise to get back to the funnier stuff tomorrow.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-87913054257707670592015-03-29T12:17:00.000-05:002015-03-29T12:17:15.250-05:00It's weird out there. Perhaps a little...too weird.So I was flipping through the recommendations Netflix made for me today when I came across Danger 5. It's a show from Australia (I think) about a group of super spy people in a bizarro universe filled with bad props, puppet Nazi dogs, and...of course...Hitler. For the first few minutes I watched slack-jawed, wondering if I might've accidentally hit my head on my way to the TV or if I was in some sort of fever dream. The next few minutes after that, I wondered if this might be a little too far out there even for me. From then on though, I was hooked.<br />
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I can't really describe it and for all I know everyone already knows all about this show. Either way, I love it. Now let's just hope the US doesn't try to remake it so they can tone it down and sprinkle in a bunch of idiot reality show stars. I mean, take a look at this....<br />
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Nazi Stegosaurus! This show is perfect as is.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-27545545282617848312015-03-25T16:02:00.000-05:002015-03-25T16:08:31.342-05:00Top 5 Ways to Cool the 'Ol NervesThere's a lot going through my brain at any given time. I'd use the royal <i>our brains </i>here, but I've had too much experience recently to include EVERYone in the category of having active brain processes. So here we go (in no particular order):<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPOwd8LOkqk/SQIRWXYkySI/AAAAAAAABGk/1TPXjUnzlIE/s1600/angry_daffy_duck.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPOwd8LOkqk/SQIRWXYkySI/AAAAAAAABGk/1TPXjUnzlIE/s1600/angry_daffy_duck.gif" /></a>- <b>Video Games -- </b>Nothing relieves stress better than parking your butt in front of a TV and ending the virtual lives of every digitized life form known to man. Personally, I prefer third person shooters for maximum satisfaction and Gears of War tops them all. It's bloody, chaotic and allows you to chainsaw people into chunks. I'd recommend headphones, however. That way, your neighbors can only hear your maniacal laughter and not the grinding of a chainsaw motor along with your victim's screams. Other good games (although not 3rd person shooters) include Call of Duty and Mortal Kombat. </div>
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- <b>Walking -- </b>Step outside and get some fresh air. Lots of frustration comes from feeling stuck, so get out there and keep moving. It becomes tougher to focus on your problems as you get tired. Try not to grumble about your troubles however, unless you've got someone with you. Depending on how big of a city you live in, people walking alone and talking to themselves may or may not be much of an issue.</div>
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- <b>Booze -- </b>Hey, I'm a writer after all. We have a long history of intoxication to deal with being rejected, stressed, depressed, frustrated, overlooked, underpaid, dicked over...wait...why am I a writer again? Oh yeah. The craft. whatever. I recommend Jim Beam or Stolichnaya Vodka when you're feeling fancy. </div>
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- <b>Screaming -- </b>Sure, it's simple, but it works. Put on some headphones, crank some metal and rage away. Ball your fists up real tight and howl along with other (albeit richer) angry artists like yourself. I recommend: Creeping Death by Metallica, Double Talkin' Jive by Guns n' Roses, Don't Let 'Em Grind Ya Down by Motorhead, The Rage by Judas Priest, or ANYTHING by Black Label Society.</div>
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- <b>Meditate and be a better person -- </b>Ha! Just kidding. These things are nice, but don't really make you feel better when you're still pissed off. Best to volunteer after you've calmed down a bit. Stick to the booze and screaming.</div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-83416086058553611812015-03-23T12:40:00.000-05:002015-03-23T12:44:15.820-05:00The Unreadable DreamWe've all heard writers talk about being inspired by dreams. Keep a journal. Write it down. Don't let those ideas go to waste! While I'm all for that advice, I would also tell you to give it some time before you start to write the book or story itself. Sometimes those nuggets aren't exactly gold.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2U0zT9Wn0Gg/VRBPw3dpOWI/AAAAAAAABII/i3SE9ugAL7Y/s1600/Sleepwalker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2U0zT9Wn0Gg/VRBPw3dpOWI/AAAAAAAABII/i3SE9ugAL7Y/s1600/Sleepwalker.jpg" height="320" width="204" /></a>This came to mind while I was cleaning off my desk and sorting through piles of handwritten notes and scribbled outlines the other day. Lots of them were from dreams and I remember being VERY excited about them while I wrote them down, all those wonderful images still swirling in my brain. Looking back on them now, I wonder what the hell I was on when I went to bed that night. Sure, there are some keepers. I've written more than one book based loosely on my sleepy babblings, but most of the good stuff was buried among all the weird crap that goes on when your subconscious gets to have some playtime.<br />
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That's the real bit of advice I would give here. Write dreams down, but don't expect to use them as a whole. And I know what you're thinking. Yes, I've heard the stories of some very popular books that were based on dreams. First, those are few and far between. Second, I've tried reading those books and still can't believe they were ever printed. Ugh. Just like in high school, popularity doesn't necessarily<br />
equal quality. It doesn't matter what your or my opinion my be in regard to whatever popular schlock is out there or how it was made. Be your own person and write your own schlock!<br />
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As for the dreams, they are a valuable resource. Just be sure to sift through them for the really good stuff before you try to use anything. I want to make a reference to plucking the golden kernels of corn from a turd here, but that would be gross so I won't. Ooops. Forget that last part.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-78987629506527995112015-03-21T14:06:00.001-05:002015-03-21T14:06:32.771-05:00I did that???<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CqsJtZ5t8Qg/VQ3A00DKRqI/AAAAAAAABH4/zZwk0XlpIY4/s1600/Coyote%2Bcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CqsJtZ5t8Qg/VQ3A00DKRqI/AAAAAAAABH4/zZwk0XlpIY4/s1600/Coyote%2Bcard.jpg" height="145" width="200" /></a>I just got finished adding the synopses for all the Skinners books onto the new page on this blog. Had to type them in without the use of cut and paste because of some weird color/background issues. Anyway, after reading all of those, I was fairly impressed. Those actually are pretty good!<br />
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Heh.<br />
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Yes, I know this sounds egotistical but I talk enough trash to myself on every other day. Hearing some praise from the voices in my head is a nice change every now and then.<br />
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Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-75012137577941388892015-03-21T12:02:00.000-05:002015-03-21T12:02:28.104-05:00Cap'n Quaker!No, it's not the woolen clad avenger for those who shun modern ways. And it's not the unsteadiest gun arm to ride the west. It's my new, favorite way to spice up boring food.<br />
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Now that I'm no longer a young, strapping buck with a bod covered in rippling muscles and...wait...I must be thinking of someone else. Ok, so I'm in my forties and need to watch what I eat. No matter how appealing the notion of dying with a gut full of burgers, face down in a greasy pizza with bacony cheese in the crust may be, I really have to rein it in nowadays.<br />
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My favorite meal is breakfast and oatmeal is one of the best alternatives to the ever glorious McGriddle. One time, many years ago, I described the then-newly-arrived McGriddle to a guy over XBox Live who lived in London. They didn't have them there yet and he said they sounded "Fucking brilliant". Granted, he was probably high, but that doesn't mean he was wrong. So now that Mc-justaboutanything is off my menu, I find myself wanting to spice up the foods I can have.<br />
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Oatmeal is ok, but it needs to be mixed with something. How about something with texture? Raisins. Sure, I guess. Nuts? Come on, now. I'm not an animal. Something crunchy, though. Cereal! I started with peanut butter cheerios, which was good, but the Os got mushy pretty quick. Next I tried Cocoa Krispies, which were delightful. Then I dumped in some Cap'n Krunch. Let me tell you, Captain Yohann Krunch never disappoints! Yeah...Yohann. He looks like a Yohann, doesn't he? It's the 'stache. Next time, I go for Yohann's peanut butter variety. Droolin' over oatmeal? Now I know I've hit paydirt.<br />
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It may not be as healthy as straight oats or the raisins thing, but you gotta live a little. If wanting to start my day with some Krunch is wrong, I don't wanna be right!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-72268942245988610682015-03-20T15:36:00.002-05:002015-03-20T15:36:52.305-05:00New me for 2015!! <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Alrighty! It’s 2015 and time for
some changes. First of all, I’m sure anyone who’s been to this blog before
notices the different layout. I love black and all, but got sick of looking at
the same backgrounds, etc on this page. Also, I want to dedicate this page to <i>everything</i>
I write so a new look seemed to be in order.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Another change for me is the shift
in focus as far as my writing goes. This entire industry has been knocked on
its ass for some time now. Ebooks are awesome, but to paraphrase the Joker from
Dark Knight, they’ve changed things…forever. And there’s no turning back. Man I
love that movie. I want to watch it now. Be right back…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">…Ok. Awesome flick. What was I
saying? Right. Changes. With the rise of the ebook and the fall of so many
brick and mortar bookstores, the industry is still in upheaval. That might not
be as obvious to the readers. After all, there are still some bookstores out
there. Books are still being printed. There’s stuff to read. The Kindle is
coming out with new models all the time. (I desperately want one of the new
Paperwhite Kindles by the way) Trust me, though, it’s crazy from the inside of
this industry and only gets crazier as the months drag into years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Someone like me who isn’t on the
receiving end of a publishers’ marketing budget needs to hustle for work
whenever possible to keep up with the ol’ rent. That means trying to line up
contracts wherever possible that pay some sort of advance so I can make ends
meet. I love ebooks and the sense of creative freedom that comes along with
them, but they’re a gamble financially. If writing is my only source of income,
waiting for royalties to trickle in is not a stress-free way to live. So, after
years of fighting the good fight and busting my butt to survive within the
publishing machine, I need to suck it up and find other sources of income. Does
that mean no more books from me? Uhh…why would I redo this blog if I was gonna
shut it off? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Actually, it means the opposite.
Once I secure myself in a more traditional manner (see also: day job) I can
stop jumping through so many goddamn hoops, begging for the attention of
publishers who only want me to write stuff that resembles whatever other author
is the flavor of the month, and scrambling to fit myself into someone else’s
category. I never was good at that kind of thing and haven’t gotten any better
as I ferment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Pleasing so many higher-ups who
barely even know what they want anyway is a good way to drive yourself insane. The
good thing about being truly apart from the machine (and being insane, for that
matter) is that you don’t have a lot to lose. I will no longer worry about
taking a good idea and rearranging it to fit the current trend. I will now
focus on writing what I WANT and not just what I need to pay the bills. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I’ve been told my vampires need to
be more mysterious and sultry. I’ve been told that I need to adhere to the
concrete rules as set forth in legends in regards to mythological creatures. Legends
as FACT? Isn’t tweaking legend and playing within a genre the FUN part of
fiction? I’ve been told horror is no longer a genre. I’ve been told Steampunk
is dead. I’ve been told a lot of things and I don’t mind hearing people speak
their minds. I also don’t need to change what I do just to satisfy a bunch of rules
that will change in a day or two anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Overall, it’s a scary time for me.
It’s also an exciting one. There’s a big weight lifted off my back when I stop
worrying about trying to please someone in an office reading my horror
manuscripts who doesn’t even like horror in the first place. I’m doing my own
thing again and it feels good. Check back soon and I’ll tell you all about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-14873408627207581572014-08-25T15:27:00.001-05:002015-03-21T15:16:18.873-05:00Guardians, Vampires and Flicks<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Where the hell does the time
go?? I mean seriously! I know I’m not a spring chicken, but I’m not so old that
I can use that as an excuse for spacing off months at a time. Come to think of
it, most older folks I know keep up with things better than I do. Oh well. In
the words of the immortal sailor: I yam what I yam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">So what’s been up with me? Let’s
see…I finally made it through all the summer popcorn movies I wanted to see.
Best of the bunch had to be Guardians of the Galaxy. I was familiar with the
comics to a certain extent, but enough to be fairly confident it was gonna kick
ass as soon as I saw the first preview. Good to know I was right. I also
recently Netflixed (yeah it’s a verb now) the new remake of Robocop. This was
one that I thought should be pretty good even if it wasn’t great. Turns out,
the makers of that film actually found a way to make Robocop BORING! What the…huh???
ED209s were there, robot cops were there, even Gary Oldman and Jackie Earle Haley
were there! Oh well. There’s always the Dark Knight trilogy and Human Target to
see those last two guys shine!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">On the work front, things have
been amping up nicely. Most recently I’ve been putting together a short story
for the third anthology in Jonathan Maberry’s V-Wars series. Very cool stuff.
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/V-Wars-Market-Edition-Jonathan-Maberry/dp/1613777175" target="_blank">Here’s a link</a>! I’ve also got another
pretty big project happening. It’s not a huge secret or anything (not Skinners
related) but I’d rather make a big announcement a little later. I just don’t
want to jinx anything, you know? It’ll be cool. Trust me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Guess that’s it for now. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">UPDATE - That cool thing I mentioned at the end fell through. Them's the breaks.</span></div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-67421065428044267272014-05-27T14:21:00.001-05:002014-05-27T14:21:16.026-05:00Love you, Ma<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">It’s been a rough couple of
months. On a personal note, I recently lost my grandma Sophie who was one of
the sweetest, most charming and loving people I’ve ever known. She was one of
the foundations for who I am and everything I’ve done. I’ll never stop
missing her. My world will be a little dimmer now that she’s no longer
in it. Of course she’s with me in spirit and she made a point to tell me she’d
watch over me, but it’s still tough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">On a professional note, the
publishing industry continues to be an unconscionable ball-breaker. Series are
getting axed left and right, which is a good and bad thing for us writers.
Obviously, having fewer series to write hits us in the wallet. However,
it frees us up to pursue our own passions and get our projects out there in ebook
format. To that end, I’ve been hard at work on several different fronts. Book
two of The Gillis Ledgers is coming along nicely and should be released in a
month or two. After that, I’ll be hard at work on Book 8 of Skinners. Around
the same time as the new Gillis comes out, I’ll be releasing the first book in
a brand new steampunk series. More on that later, but I’m very excited about
it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Hope you all are doing well and
don’t worry, I’ll have more for you guys to read real soon! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-7658770025182250362014-01-07T15:19:00.000-06:002014-01-07T15:19:14.608-06:00Hello from the COOOOLD<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
Hey! The holidays are over. Whew.
Is it just me or is every holiday a prolonged, agonizing trial anymore? I love
Halloween, but now it starts in Sept and goes all the way through Oct with a
non-stop shit storm of cutesy costumes, candy commercials and “spooky” put in
front of everything on menus and billboards. And Christmas? I think it’s still
going, right? Sigh. Anyway, I laid low for a spell and now I’m back. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
I’ve been working on a few
projects. I’ll have some new Ralph Compton westerns coming out under the Marcus
Galloway pseudonym. Also my Doc Holliday series, The Accomplice, is being
re-released in e-book format. On the horizon, I’m about to start in on the next
Gillis Ledger book as well as another Skinners project. Of course I’ll be doing
Book 8, but what would you guys feel about some stand-alone prequels? Maybe stories
from Paige’s early career? That could be cool. I’m also circulating some
steampunk and crime novels to various publishers and if they don’t get snatched
up, I’ll be releasing them my own damn self! </div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
In other news, my Dad called me
today for tech support on his Kindle Fire. Why does this warrant a mention?
About a year and a half ago, I took some work answering the phones at Amazon
for Kindle support. I did fairly well in the knowledge and fixing stuff
departments, but my customer service / warm fuzziness was lacking. Can you
believe that? Fuck them, right? Heh. So when my Dad calls for help with a WiFi
connection problem, I had all kinds of advice and steps for him to take. A real
chance to impress the guy. Did I fix his Kindle? Of course I didn’t. Maybe
someday I’ll find something I’m good at. Until then, take care!</div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-75714691969788829112013-08-22T12:10:00.000-05:002013-08-22T12:10:04.288-05:00Drum roll please.....<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cHtzhIbpWuk/UhZFsMIcBkI/AAAAAAAABFI/jtlu28nUdlo/s1600/SKINNERS-FORGED+FROM+ASH-FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cHtzhIbpWuk/UhZFsMIcBkI/AAAAAAAABFI/jtlu28nUdlo/s320/SKINNERS-FORGED+FROM+ASH-FINAL.jpg" width="228" /></a>I’m not a big one for a lot of talk
and promises, but…after a lot of talk and promises, the seventh SKINNERS book
has finally been released! It took a bit longer for it to appear on Barnes
& Noble, but I’m guessing that was just some weird computer holdup or
something. The important thing is that Forged from Ash is out and ready to be
read. So…go and download a copy! It’s also on Kindle and Smashwords.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
For those of you who have read it,
I’d appreciate you leaving a review at the site where you purchased it. That
really does help an ebook along. Some of you have commented that this one ended
with some loose ends and to that, I plead GUILTY. Now that I’m able to get my
books out there again, I can continue running my series how I like. I’ve always
seen this as a series that rolls along and evolves without everything wrapping
up nicely at the end of each book. To accommodate this, I need to approach
publication of the series in a new way. Fortunately, I can now do that. For
Skinners, the plan is to write shorter books and release more of them per year.
It took a while to get settled with a new cover artist, new publisher
(Crossroad Press has been amazing!) and a new way of doing things. I’ve also
been busy with other stuff, but now I’m rollin’ and things are looking good.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Ideally, I’d like to put out three
Skinners books a year. I’ve also got other series to work on and I’d like to
get them all chugging away as well. I’ll keep you updated on those. When it
comes to the next Skinners book, I’m shooting for a release date somewhere around
February or March of 2014. Until then, stay in touch and thanks for sticking
with me. I’m doing my best to make you all glad you did!</div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-25792122652261803972013-06-13T04:11:00.000-05:002013-06-13T04:21:32.762-05:00Not just # 7 Anymore<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Wow. Busy, busy! I just got
finished with the third draft of Skinners #7 and thought I’d post a little
progress update. My progress is…I’ve finished the third draft of Skinners #7.
Guess I shouldn't have led with that, huh? Well, it’s coming along nicely. I've even got a title....Skinners Book 7: Forged from Ash. But wait, there's more! Here's a very cool thing for Show & Tell. A sneak peek of the
cover!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yBbAEBhy2sI/UbmMUTr4CTI/AAAAAAAABE0/oN6KhMQfTFM/s1600/SKINNERS-FORGED+FROM+ASH-FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yBbAEBhy2sI/UbmMUTr4CTI/AAAAAAAABE0/oN6KhMQfTFM/s320/SKINNERS-FORGED+FROM+ASH-FINAL.jpg" width="228" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Woo hoo!! Very cool. </div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
In other news, I’ve entered into a
working partnership with <a href="http://www.macabreink.com/cpmain/">Crossroad Press</a>. When I launched into the whole ebook
thing, I was very excited. It allows me to write what I want, but I also had to
do other stuff like formatting for different services, trying to network with
different outlets for marketing / distribution and all that kind of non-writing
thing. I thought, “If only someone else could do that stuff so I could just
keep writing.” Well, Crossroad Press does that stuff and they seem very capable
of doing a great job of it! They’ll be able to put my books into formats that I
couldn’t figure out and a few that were simply beyond my reach. There’s a much
better chance for trade paperback copies and audiobook versions. Awesome! They
also work very quickly. Since there are just a few more hoops to jump through, however,
the release of Skinners 7 might have to be pushed back by a month or so. I know
you guys are waiting for the book, but this way it gets released in a much
better and much more complete fashion than me doing it completely on my own.
Thought I’d let you guys know right up front. Trust me, it’ll be worth it. </div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-15413562161841184842013-04-12T13:27:00.000-05:002013-04-12T13:27:17.628-05:00Skinners #7<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
Things have been crazy lately! I’ve
been doing a ton of work, although a lot of it isn’t exactly easy to find. A
big part of most writers’ income includes work for hire which is along the
lines of ghostwriting. Hey, work is work and bills gotta get paid. The main
reason I’m mentioning this is because I’ve been talking about working on the
next Skinners for quite a while and this is why it’s taken so long for me to
get it completed. I’ve been working on a couple different projects at once for
the last few years and Skinners has always been top of my list.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
Of course, I’ve got other stuff in
the works, but more on that some other time. This is a Skinners post! As lots
of you already know, I’m publishing the next one on my own digitally. If
there’s enough demand, I can look into print copies, but for now this’ll be the
way to go. As of today, I’m closing in on finishing the manuscript for Book
7!!!! Woo Hooo!!!! It took me a while to gear up for this one and then a little
while more to figure out where, exactly, I wanted to go after Extinction
Agenda. I’ve always had a general idea, but the “exactly” part of that last
sentence is the tricky part. Trust me, that extra gestation time pays off in
the end. I’m REALLY happy with how this is turning out.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
Another thing I’ve always said is
that I always saw Skinners as an ongoing storyline with arcs that change Cole’s
world in major ways. Basically, every 3 books is an arc and #6 (despite the
rather final statement at the end of that one) wasn’t meant to wrap everything up.
It was the end of an arc and Book 7 is the start of a new one. And hoo boy, are
there some changes! Don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, but this new arc shakes
everything up while fitting in very nicely with the series.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
So…Book 7. Right now, it’s called
Forged from Ash and I’m shooting for a release date of this summer. My personal
goal is to get it out there in June, but I’ll say summer to allow for some
extra editing if needed. There’s a lot to do, but it’ll get done. As for the
future of the series, I’m guessing lots of you are thinking, “Cool. New
Skinners! Will it take this long between EVERY freaking book in this
series?” The answer to that is NO! My
goal is to put out more books per year. They’ll be a bit shorter than the last
few (I’m thinking between 300 – 400 pages each) and will cost you guys a bit
less. That’s another cool thing with me putting them out digitally. I can
charge what I like, which will be in the neighborhood of $2.99 - $3.99 each.
That may change after a while, but not for the first arc at least. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
To my Facebook friends out there, I
apologize for neglecting my posts lately. Truth is, I’ve been typing so much
all day that the thought of typing socially hasn’t been too appealing. I check
in a lot on my phone and stuff, but just get lazy and don’t post as much as I
should. Honestly, I also figured I might lose a ton of you after 219 posts of,
“Hey everyone! Still writing all day. Stayed up until 6am again. I miss
Twinkies!” That’s totally true, you
know. I miss the HELL out of Twinkies.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
2013 is gonna be the year where I
really get things out there and follow through on so many of the plans I’ve
been making in previous years. Hopefully this answers a lot of questions. I’ll
have a lot more to say as things progress and can’t wait to see what you guys
think of the next phase of Skinners! See what I did there? “phase” like phases
of the moon? Werewolves? Now you see why not hearing from me all the time is a
good thing. </div>
Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-34028597889823622362012-08-27T11:44:00.002-05:002012-08-27T11:44:51.108-05:00Anybody out there??Weird day. We really take for granted how much contact we have with the outside world these days. I woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head....wait...that's a Beatles song. I woke up, had breakfast and drank some coffee without a single text, email or phone call coming my way. Normally, that would seem like a peaceful morning, but it was a little disconcerting.<br />
<br />
Did something happen?<br />
Was there an apocalypse of some kind and I missed the fireworks?<br />
Is my internet down?<br />
<br />
None of the above (as far as I know). Just no communication for Marcus today. I suppose it's better than getting inundated with BAD news. Still.....HELLOOOO??????<br />
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<br />Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-1827013032706144092012-07-16T12:17:00.000-05:002012-07-16T12:17:07.547-05:00The (hot) Dog Days of SummerI'm finally getting pumped for The Dark Knight Rises. Of coarse I'm a Batman fan, but there hasn't been much in the trailers to really get me going. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman? Well...that gets me going, but not in a family-friendly way. Heh. I'm sure it will be great and I will be seeing it soon.<br />
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<br />
Just returned from a road trip to the Poconos to spend some time with family. That was fun. Had to buy two new tires for my Hyundai Blowabout. Not so fun. That little seating area in the Walmart auto care section is not a happy place. Everyone internally snarling at having to watch their car through a little window as it gets cranked by dudes in coveralls. One old man who was there with me had to wait for an extra hour because the mechanics dropped their screwdriver into his air filter and it landed out of their reach. Oy.<br />
<br />
And so the summer rolls on. I recently tried a stout beer that's brewed with coffee. Little bit of whiplash with the sudden subject change? Sorry about that. It just popped into my head and I thought I'd share. That coffee brew was AMAZING! Speaking of great tastes that could have very easily gone the other way, I've got an idea for a new pizza! Sliced hot dogs under a mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. And, instead of pizza sauce, Spaghetti-Os!!! I think it's either gonna knock my socks off or make me puke. I'm off to buy some crust and find out for myself.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-44714297531003319002012-07-06T12:00:00.000-05:002012-07-06T12:00:21.542-05:001 Vote for HibernationIs summer over yet??? Seriously, I wish I could just sleep through this crap. I live in West Virginia, which means I was one of MANY in the path of those land hurricanes...Doritos or whatever they're calling them...that knocked out power for several days. Several days of 100+ degree weather. Fun times. Now that my freezer is back, I'm in the process of testing how much of my thawed / refrozen breakfast pastries and burgers are still edible. So far, so good!<br />
<br />
Went to see Amazing Spider-Man yesterday. I wasn't on board with ANOTHER Spidey origin rehash, but this one was actually fairly awesome. Familiar, but tweaked just enough to feel fresh. Surprisingly enough, I still felt bad when Uncle Ben died. Spoiler?? Only for someone living under a rock. Heh. Also saw Prometheus. That was cool, but not as cool as I was expecting. If I hadn't been looking for some air conditioned place to sit during the blackout, I probably would have waited for the DVD release.<br />
<br />
Still hard at work on writing, of course. Got some big plans for the next Skinners. Actually, I will start the actual writing on that one this month! I've got two Skinners projects coming along. One is the next book in the series and the next is a side project I've had in mind for a long time. More later!<br />
<br />
<br />Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-88843387461067316972012-06-26T12:29:00.000-05:002012-06-26T12:29:22.331-05:00Billy Goat...NO MORE!!I realize I age like any other mortal. I creak. I ache. Now, I can't just eat anything I want. Ok, let's not panic here. I had a jalapeno and cheese bagel which disagreed with me the MOMENT I got it down. Why does this warrant a blog post? Actually, it doesn't. Next question.<br />
<br />
Why does this show up on my radar? Because I used to be able to eat damn near anything without more than a brief moment of discomfort followed by some gurgle or burp that made it all better. You know, like when the Tasmanian Devil swallows some dynamite, his stomach swells for a second and then he spits out some smoke? Just like that!! Ahh, youth.<br />
<br />
Feeling this bit of mortal discomfort made me understand how Superman felt when he got slapped around by that trucked dude from Gremlins in Superman 2. Clark and Lois were at that little diner somewhere...was it in Metropolis or somewhere out in the arctic? I was never clear on where that place was. Hmmm. But when Clark gets tossed off of Gremlin dude's stool and sees the blood on his face, he has this expression that's a mix of shock, disbelief, fear and shame. I know how that feels now.<br />
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<br />
Or...could've been a bagel that would have turned anyone else into a pile of puking, diarrheal mush. Yeah! That's it!! Now I've found my conveniently placed power crystal that restores me in the event I step into the oddly placed chamber robbing me of my powers!!! If you don't know what I'm talking about, you really need to watch Superman 2.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-52412552224403645642012-06-19T11:47:00.001-05:002012-06-19T11:47:54.329-05:00Tell 'em I sent ya!This is a cool time. Well...not actually COOL because I'm sweating into my Count Chokula (Chocula?? The cereal vampire and friend to Frankenberry. You know!) t-shirt as I'm writing this. By "cool" I mean great because it's finally time to see the fruits of a few labors. First of all, I got my first ebook out there as promised and have already begun working on others. Second, do you remember me talking about another website hosted by me and two other authors? Well, even if you don't remember that, the website is up and running!<br />
<br />
It's called <a href="http://adventurehq.blogspot.com/">The Adventure Factory</a> and it specializes in high-octane action and...yes...adventure! Cool stuff like westerns, steampunk, science fiction and thrillers will be shown there, most of which will be ebook originals. All three of us will be blogging there, so stop by and take a look at what we have to offer. As time goes on, keep checking in because a bunch of new books will be spotlighted. (spotlit?? No that doesn't sound right. Good thing I don't work with words). Anyway...<a href="http://adventurehq.blogspot.com/">click here to check it out!</a><br />
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This blog isn't going anywhere, so don't worry. I'll still be here griping about the regular bunch of nonsense. At least over at AF, you can read someone else's gripes for a change. And before some of you comment, yes I do know there are already other sites out there called Adventure Factory. But do those sites have pics of me in sweaty t-shirts glorifying old cereal mascots? DIDN'T THINK SO!!!!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-25491049396608460392012-06-10T23:12:00.000-05:002012-06-10T23:12:44.545-05:00More wisdom from Dr. JonesFirst of all, the good news. After a little bit of a delay, Paris is Melting is now available for the Nook! <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paris-is-melting-marcus-pelegrimas/1111454587?ean=2940014790253&itm=1&usri=pelegrimas+marcus">Here's a link to pick it up at Barnes & Noble.com</a>. While you're there, if you need to get your ebook copy of any of the Skinners books, those are still on sale. They make a great gift for Dad or anyone else. See, this is what I'm really bad at. I'm not much of a salesman. Unfortunately, writers need to sell themselves big time even if they're published through the big New York houses. That is, of course, unless you qualify for the ever-present asterisk when talking about the downside to being a professional writer. For example....Most professional writers don't get huge ad campaigns to sell their books*. Most of us can't retire after seeing our babies on the shelves*. And...most of us still need the occasional day job* (* = unless you're the author of whatever young adult series happens to be hot at the time...or Stephen King.) That asterisk is kind of like the fortune cookie game where you tack on "in bed" to everything. Only the asterisk occasionally makes me want to shoot myself in the face. Heh. Wah-wahhhhhh.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GmfIyMpRQc/T9VusICVh0I/AAAAAAAABDU/FHCUvnJBLbc/s1600/Don%2527t%2BLook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GmfIyMpRQc/T9VusICVh0I/AAAAAAAABDU/FHCUvnJBLbc/s200/Don%2527t%2BLook.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Anyway, now that Paris is Melting is out, I am able to check my sales (or lack thereof) anytime I want. Is this a nifty gadget? Yes. Should I do it very often? No*. See, I knew my sales wouldn't be astronomical right away. It's a new book and I haven't started promoting it yet. Still, even though I'm just glad to see it out there, I keep checking! This is where Indy's sage advice comes in. "Don't look at it, Marcus! No matter what happens, just keep your eyes SHUT!" Ok, so in my mind he says Marcus instead of Marion. Is that weird? NO! Some people get angels talking to them or media advisers. Some of us don't get people in fancy offices looking out for our best interests*! So let me have Indy!!<br />
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Even though I don't expect the numbers to be huge yet and I know it will be a waste of time to look since, whether I see them or not, the numbers will be the same, I still look. I can't help it. Part of the fun? A little. It's just cool that Paris is Melting is out there. It's a series I am looking forward to continuing and it just makes me smile. I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys think of it so download a copy and let me know!Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-67409587278094106712012-06-07T23:33:00.000-05:002012-06-07T23:44:42.752-05:00And speaking of ebooks.......<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8k5J7N3tsPc/T9GAT7YASBI/AAAAAAAABCQ/O9o4h1qYh98/s1600/Spongebob%2Bdance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8k5J7N3tsPc/T9GAT7YASBI/AAAAAAAABCQ/O9o4h1qYh98/s200/Spongebob%2Bdance.jpg" width="113" /></a>
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It’s here! </div>
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It’s been a long time coming, but my
first direct-to-ebook original is finally here!!</div>
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These last several months have been
tough for me for a great many reasons. Output has been slow and distractions
have been at an all-time high. Because of that, this book has taken me a lot
longer than I thought it would. And the longer it took, the longer it seemed it
was going to take before it was finally done. I was going to update the blog
more, but there’s already been too many “it’s almost here” sort of posts and I
know you guys were sick of hearing it. At least, I was sick of writing it.
Well…no more! </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXHX07ox-Vs/T9GDGMP_mzI/AAAAAAAABCo/O94egiEUJBk/s1600/ParisIsMelting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXHX07ox-Vs/T9GDGMP_mzI/AAAAAAAABCo/O94egiEUJBk/s320/ParisIsMelting.jpg" width="240" /></a>The book is called <st1:city w:st="on">Paris</st1:city> is Melting, first in a series called
The Gillis Ledgers. Here’s the rundown…</div>
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1935</div>
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The Great War has been over for
eight years, but shockwaves from that global conflict can still be felt.
Airships roar in the skies. Converted DeSotos glide on elevated bi-rails.
Cities are filled with suspicious characters like mad scientists and robots
controlled by shady foreign spies.</div>
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Doesn’t sound like the 1935 you’ve
heard of? </div>
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Welcome to the world of Jake
Gillis.</div>
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Jake was a Marine in The Great War
when things took a turn for the weird. Mines clattered to life and burrowed
underground. Tanks began to hover. Robotic infantrymen charged into gunfire
without twitching. After being reassigned to the Navy’s Special Sciences
Division, Jake got a front row seat as the world was introduced to a
dimensional gateway known as the Altersphere. Once the Altersphere was
breached, things from alien worlds and futuristic societies found their way to
Earth. Scientists rolled up their sleeves and figured out how to use what they
could, dismantling the rest to give birth to a new reality.</div>
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Now, Jake works as a private
contractor in the burg of <st1:place w:st="on">Cincinnati</st1:place>
where his skills are still in high demand. An especially nasty trinket from the
Altersphere has burnt a trail across <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>.
Special Sciences is working off the books on this one. They need someone to
follow the path of destruction back to its source. While Jake is always a
sucker for serving his country, the big-time payday offered by the G-Men
cinches the deal and he answers the call to duty.</div>
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….Sounds cool, right? I’ve been
working on this project in some form or another for the better part of a year.
Basically, I took an idea for an alternate reality, set it in one of my
favorite time periods so I could include gangsters, G-men, spies and private
eyes and mixed it with a dash of Indiana Jones for flavor. Pretty much a pulp
adventure goulash of my favorite things. I won’t go into my whole ebook plan
again, but I will stress that it is something I’m very committed to and will be
using that format to publish many more projects. Including Skinners, naturally!
When will the next Skinners be coming out? I’ll start working on it very soon. </div>
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Part of my plan is a new website
which will be launching within the week. It’s a gathering spot for me and a
couple other like-minded authors who are leaping into the ebook ocean. I’ll be
maintaining this blog of course, but will also give a link to the new site when
it’s ready. It won’t be long, I promise.</div>
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It feels like I’ve been ranting
about striking out on my own for a while and now that it’s here, it feels
really good. When I put this book onto Amazon.com, I thought, “Wow, that was
easy.” Then I remembered all the writing, editing, fixing, thinking, revising,
and other stuff that’s been keeping me up at night for so long. In the words of
Han Solo… “Easy? You call that easy?” </div>
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I truly hope you guys take <st1:city w:st="on">Paris</st1:city> is Melting out for
a spin. It’s funny, retro science fiction chock full of thrills, spills and
shootouts. All the stuff that made me want to be a writer in the first place.
It may have been tough getting this far, but this book was a joy to write. I
did my best to make sure that joy shines through in every page. For now, it’s
out on Kindle and Nook. Here are the links. If you don’t have an ebook reader,
there are free apps for tablet computers, smart phones, desktops, laptops, and
robotic personal assistants. Ok, so they don’t have the robot butlers yet but
they SHOULD! If you like the book, tell a friend. And if you don’t like
it….maybe lie to a lesser-liked acquaintance so they’ll buy a copy. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paris-Melting-Gillis-Ledgers-ebook/dp/B0089NZEZ6/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1339130053&sr=8-17">Click here to check it out on Amazon</a>. (B&N link coming soon) It’s only
$2.99, for cripe’s sake! </div>
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Enjoy!!!!</div>Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4705052566827614970.post-88395121332666713392012-06-07T23:29:00.000-05:002012-06-07T23:29:08.150-05:00Great for Dads!!Here's a nice surprise over at Barnes & Noble's website!<br />
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There's a great promotion for all the Skinners ebooks! $0.99 for Blood Blade, $1.99 for Howling Legion and $4.99 for all the others.<br />
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Pretty cool. Thanks to Paul over at B&N.com. Much appreciated. If you'd like to pick up some flippin' AWESOME Nook books, just <a href="http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Explorations-The-BN-SciFi-and/Awesome-NOOK-Promotion-The-Skinners-Saga-by-Marcus-quot-Don-t/ba-p/1347862">CLICK HERE</a>.Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13222499909461439752noreply@blogger.com