Tony Acree: Connecting with "The Speaker" Himself

Part 2 of my "Cool People I Met at Imaginarium" series...

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

I am currently working on the next book in the Victor McCain series, titled The Speaker. In the third book in the supernatural thriller series, Vic is having a tough time because of *&%@%% and finds his inner demons may be worse than the actual ones he fights in his day job. (Part of the previous line was redacted due to spoiler protection)

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I like to write about the choices we make and how they affect our lives. I also like to put people in situations they think they will never survive and see if they are right.

What would be your dream project?

To write a story in which the star would be Stana Katic. Heck, I would settle for writing a story she says she has read. Even if it’s only a limerick.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I would change the dramatic cliffhanger ending of my first novel, The Hand of God. It would still be dramatic, but less of a cliffhanger. Seems people don’t like waiting six months or more to find out what happens to their favorite characters. Death threats and witch’s curses are only some of the things I dealt with.

What inspires you to write?

Generally, taking a breath is all the inspiration I need. But to be more specific I like to write thrillers and bump off the people who tick me off. Everyone who dies in one of my books is based on someone who got on my bad side (yes, I am including you man who stole my parking spot today. Wait and see what happens to you)

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Jim Butcher, Nelson DeMille, Erma Bombeck and Edger Allen Poe. And Brad from sixth grade, who wrote a poem to the girl I wanted to be my steady girlfriend, forcing me to do the same. I've been writing ever since.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Oh, writing is an art. Well, it can be a science too if you write science fiction. Or use science in your writing. Hmm. If you are painting a space scene and then include an inscription, is it both?

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

Besides The Speaker, to be released from Hydra Publications, I am also writing a short story for Unseen Adventures, an anthology coming from Blackwyrm Publishing. I am also thinking of writing the next “great American novel”, but have the fear it will be the “almost acceptably average American hamburger ad.” But we all must have a dream.

For more info about Tony, visit: http://tonyacree.com/

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now #297 -- Reviewing Books

Why don't you review books for your blog?

Simply because I really just haven't had the time. But I do have a few that some authors I know have asked me for a fair review of in exchange for a copy of their books, and I will be posting those soon. First up, later this week, will be J.H. Glaze's The Spirit Box, a horror tale about a pathetic little man and a magic box.

[Link] Banned Books By The Numbers

Banned Books Week, an annual event organized by the American Library Association (ALA), grants readers, parents, teachers and librarians an opportunity to discuss the value of unhindered expression.

Throughout the week, The Huffington Post will highlight voices from various communities impacted by censorship, including LGBT readers, religious writers and Latino bibliophiles. We will share an excerpt from a frequently challenged graphic novel, and examine the effect book banning has had on literature historically. We've also invited our readers -- especially those in the education field -- to share photos of the banned books they teach or admire.

We've also taken a look at data provided by the ALA* about which books and authors have been challenged recently, where those challenges occur, and what the cited reasons are for said challenges.

What's the difference between a challenge and a ban? The ALA explains: "A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials."

To find out whether your favorite author is subject to censorship, or whether your state is prone to challenging titles, check out the infographics below...

Continue reading: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/22/banned-books-week-infographic_n_5852234.html

Who are better writers, women or men?

Editor's Note: I should mention that I disagree with the rationale behind the word "better." After all, Hemingway and Raymond Chandler would both be quick to point out that shorter, more direct sentences are far superior to longer, more descriptive (or flowery) sentences (of course, it is telling that they are men). As a comparative infographic about the differences between male and female writers, I find it particularly useful. However, as a superlative one extolling the virtues of one gender over the other, I find it very much a straw man argument. 

Credit: The poll and graphic were produced by Grammarly, the world's leading automated proofreader. Using elite natural language processing technology, it checks writing for more than 250 types of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, enhances vocabulary usage, and suggests citations. Grammarly delivers a passive learning experience that identifies writing patterns and sends users personal recommendations to help understand their most common mistakes and opportunities to develop their writing skills. Grammarly is also the creator of GrammoWriMo, a collaborative writing project to celebrate National Novel Writing Month (November). Last year the project brought together more than 300 writers from 27 countries to create a group novel, which was then sold as an e-book on Amazon and benefitted the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

A Rose Among the Pages

Part One of my "Cool People I Met at Imaginarium" series... 

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

In my first novel, The Bearkeeper, there is a troupe of Shakespearean actors who (due to an unnatural condition) have been alive since before the time of Shakespeare.  Some of them are more famous than they are letting on. The sequel, Children of Stone, deals with their backstory: who they are, how they came together, and how they learned to only pretend to kill each other, instead of for real.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

The theme of being an outsider comes up again and again, as does time, history, and the illusory quality of what we (as individuals and as a society) think we know.  There are also undercurrents of surrealism and absurdity in much of what I write, and how people actually deal with extraordinary circumstances.

What would be your dream project?

To invent a time machine so I can go talk about art, cats and guns with William S. Burroughs.  And then send a babbling, poorly-scrawled letter to my 1990's self, postmarked from his Kansas residence, just for the hilarious mindf*ck that would ensue.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

As with many, I would rewrite my first novel.  But not heavily.  My first novel isn't bad, you see; it's just that continuity is a harsh mistress, and I would like to make things easier on myself with the sequels.

What inspires you to write?

The unusual combination of reading non-fiction and having an overactive imagination.  It's weird.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

I consider Ray Bradbury and Kurt Vonnegut the angel and devil on my shoulders, though I wasn't aware of their influence until it was too late.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I would put it in a different position on a sliding scale for each author.  But there has to be a balance.  Too far into Art, and it's a hot mess, and too far into Science, and it's got no soul.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I've got a month to whip up something for Blackwyrm Publishing's Reel Dar anthology. I'll be riffing on my favorite film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. There's no guarantee it'll make the final cut, but their project looks fascinating, and people should keep and eye out for its release.

Nugget #19: Networking

Want to get published? Learn these 3 skills: networking, 

writing, and networking. No, that's not a typo.

Imaginarium -- The Birth of a Truly Literary Focused Convention

The Imaginarium Convention I attended this past weekend is unlike any other convention I've been a guest for. Why? Because this one was all about writers and their creative works. Rather than short-sheeting the folks who create the stories readers love, Imaginarium chose instead to honor them and put them on display.

Were there some obstacles to overcome? Of course. Any con will have them. Particularly any first-year con. But with plans in place to stomp them into dust, Imaginarium is one of the cons I'm most looking forward to hitting again as a guest -- as often as the awesome folks there will have me.

What rocked?

For starters, the staff. Stephen Zimmer, Susan Roddey, and their team of evil minions made me feel right at home from the get-go. They seem to have a knack for anticipating issues and already be working on them before someone like me could even approach them to let them know the issue existed.

Also, the guest list was like a family reunion for me. It's often been said that you have two families -- the family you're born with and the family you choose to surround yourself with. This family is the one that I've made my own and has welcomed me into the madness we all share.

So, thank you to all who made it awesome from the bottom of my heart. My “booth babes” (daughter Charis Taylor and friend Ellie Raine) and I had a great time, from hanging with friends new and old to shaking out booties on the Masquerade Dance Floor.

Can't wait for next year!

And now for the photos...

The lovely Charis Taylor, working the table. 

My neighbor and new friend, author Heather Adkins. 

The beautiful and very patient Spider Queen herself, Jen Mulvihill.

My doomed dance partner, Selah Janel.

Tommy Hancock, Grand Guru of Pro Se Productions.

One of the finest writers I'm privileged to know, L. Andrew Cooper.

The best legs in Florida, M.B. "Embe" Weston.

Embe in action, selling books. 

Charis Taylor, holding down the fort and making all the money.

The books. 

The books and the comics. 

Charis' books and comics. She's also a published writer.

Dinner in the dark. I'm surprised the waitress could put up with us. 

Michelle looks far better in Tommy's hat than he does.

Ellie Raine, Kimberly Richardson, and Charis Taylor

wait for food. And wait, and wait, and wait...

The cast and crew of Kimberly Richardson's sure to be award-winning film short

The Attack of the Killer Beignets, coming soon to a computer near you. 

(From left to right, Michelle Weston, Charis Taylor, Me, Allan Gilbreath, Andi 

Judy, Tommy Hancock)

My lovely daughter Wonder Charis and my favorite femme

fatale, Kimberly Richardson.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now #296 -- Greatest Personal Strength

What do you consider your greatest personal strength for becoming the writer you want to be?

I know you'd probably expect me to say something here about use of language or sounds, or maybe a mastery of grammar, or something literary like that, but as much as those help me as a writer, I think there's something that helps me so much more.

Networking. 

I like people, and I make friends easily. Those friends can be editors, fellow writers, publishers, readers, people who hate to read, whatever, but that skill has allowed me to build a personal network that had enabled me to get my stories into places I never would had I tried to operate as a Lone Ranger in my darkened room sending out blind queries. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again here. There are five key skills a writer must master to be successful: Networking, Time Management, Networking, Self-Editing, and Networking. 

Great Writers on Great Writing

F. Scott Fitzgerald on the Secret of Great Writing
http://www.brainpickings.org/2013/01/08/f-scott-fitzgerld-on-writing/

Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 Tips on How to Write a Great Story
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/04/03/kurt-vonnegut-on-writing-stories/

Henry Miller’s 11 Commandments of Writing and Daily Creative Routine
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/22/henry-miller-on-writing/

Jack Kerouac’s List of 30 Beliefs and Techniques for Prose and Life
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/03/22/jack-kerouac-belief-and-technique-for-modern-prose/

Neil Gaiman’s 8 Rules of Writing
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/28/neil-gaiman-8-rules-of-writing/

Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/08/21/elmore-leonard-10-rules-of-writing/

Will you join the crusade?

Be a part of Comic & Cinematic History...

... as legendary comic creator Chuck Dixon, 300 and TMNT film producer Scott Mednick, and Framelight Productions come together to create Sword of Wood... an exciting new franchise!

Already being set up as a motion picture, we are looking for partners to finance the publication of a graphic novel based on an original story being written by Chuck Dixon with illustrations provided by Esteve Polls.

Visit for more info: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1852578469/sword-of-wood-by-chuck-dixon

PARTNERS IN NEW PULP AND GENRE FICTION -- PRO SE PRODUCTIONS AND THE PULP PROJECT

Known as a cutting edge publisher of New Pulp and Genre Fiction, Pro Se Productions, continually looking to expand the variety of its catalog and bring the best packaging possible to the books it publishes, announces a new partnership with The Pulp Project.

The Pulp Project is a collaboration of Colorado’s most talented photographers, models, artists, and designers, coming together to create Pulp inspired photography in the studio and on location. Headed by Austin Welch, The Pulp Project has produced and plans to continue to create images definitely inspired by both the medium of Pulp Fiction as well as the style of Pulp, which long outlived the original magazine format.

The association of Pro Se and The Pulp Project means that Pro Se Productions will be utilizing images produced by The Pulp Project as covers for appropriate books and collections as well as Pro Se Single Shot digital singles and Single Shot Signature series. When a Pro Se work requires a cover and a Pulp Project image matches said story or book, then Pro Se will utilize the image as a cover. Also, plans are in the works for covers to be designed and created by The Pulp Project for specific Pro Se works. Thirdly, collections and/or complete novels will, in the future, be built around Pulp Project existing photographs.

“One of the best parts,” says Tommy Hancock, Pro Se Editor in Chief and Partner in the company, “of being a part of Pro Se Productions is when neat things like this happen. We’ve always known our interest in Pulp and Genre Fiction was shared by many, that others have the same passion we do. When we find those people, those groups who are expressing that in their own way, in a fashion that not only we can utilize, but where there can be mutual benefit, it’s almost an innate action to see how the two entities can work together. The Pulp Project is an exciting prospect, something that I wish we saw more of in this field. The bringing together of models/actors, photographers, cinematographers, and more to produce a singular image that is a story all by itself. To have the opportunity to put these works of modern Pulp art on Pro Se books, it’s really one of the reasons I enjoy doing what I do.”

The first image from The Pulp Project to be used for a Pro Se Productions title will act as the cover for author Sean Taylor’s upcoming Single Shot Signature Series Spy Candy. It will be featured on the digital singles as well as the print collection produced when the series ends.

For more information concerning this press release or interviews with those involved, contact Morgan McKay, Pro Se’s Director of Corporate Operations, at directorofcorporateoperations@prose-press.com.

To learn more about The Pulp Project, go to https://www.facebook.com/thepulpproject.

For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.

Spotlight on... Well, ME!

I'm the subject of a quickie interview over at http://armandrosamilia.com/2014/09/16/spotlight-on-sean-taylor-imaginarium/.

Enter the Imaginarium!

My updated panel schedule for Imaginarium:

Friday

7:00 PM
Gats, Gams, & Greenhorns
Everyone always remembers to build worlds, but do they always remember to build language? This panel covers the proper way to use slang, jargon, and other language mechanisms in genre fiction.
Moderator: Mandi Lynch
Panelists: L. Andrew Cooper, Addie J. King, Sean Taylor

Saturday

4:00 PM
The World of a Magazine Editor: Submissions, Deadlines, and Edits, oh my!
Sit down with editors as they share the inside scoop on editing for magazines. Learn why pieces are accepted, why they’re rejected, and what magazine editors expect of their authors.
Moderator: Sean Taylor
Panelists: Eric Beebe, Lori Michelle, Jason Sizemore, Benjamin Smith

6:00 PM
Comic Script Creation Part 1 – Hosted by Sean Taylor
Join comic book writer Sean Taylor (Gene Simmons Dominatrix, Bad Girls Club, The Invisible Man) for a two-day workshop to help you begin and complete a comic book script for a four-page anthology short. Super heroes, horror, drama, slice of life — all genres welcome.

Sunday

12:00 PM
Comic Script Creation Part 2 – Hosted by Sean Taylor
Join comic book writer Sean Taylor (Gene Simmons Dominatrix, Bad Girls Club, The Invisible Man) for a two-day workshop to help you begin and complete a comic book script for a four-page anthology short. Super heroes, horror, drama, slice of life — all genres welcome.

2:00 PM
Publishing Comics & Graphic Novels
Words and pictures…can’t be too hard, right? Think again. Our panelists discuss what goes into making a good comic series, from the idea’s inception all the way through final layout and printing. This is a must-see panel for anyone interested in breaking into the graphic literature world.
Moderator: Sean Taylor
Panelists: Matthew Barron, Dan Jolley

3:00 PM
How to Build a Better Bad Guy
Heroes are important, but having a strong villain can make or break a story. Learn how to make your bad guys the best they can possibly be.
Moderator: Sean Taylor
Panelists: Karen Block, K.S. Daniels, Dan Jolley, Tommy Smith, Michael West

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now #295 -- Biggest Personal Obstacle

What's your biggest personal obstacle to 
being the writer you wish you could be?

Plain and simple, I'm lazy. I am. I try my best to work around it, but I should have so much more published work behind me at this point, including a few novels. Too often, when I have the choice between watching TV and buckling down to write, I choose the lesser path.

Alpha Omega Con Christian Comics & Pop Culture Convention Comes To Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA – The Christian Comic Arts Society announced today the Alpha Omega Con; a family friendly, Christian Comics and Pop Culture Convention taking place in the Los Angeles area. With more than 50 special guests and industry professionals conducting panels and workshops, and an extensive exhibitor hall, Alpha Omega Con is a unique experience where the faith audience can explore positive forms of new entertainment.

Talking place on Saturday, September 20th, 2014, fans of comic books, movies, video games, and other media will gather from across Southern California to unite their passions for entertainment and Faith. Attendees have the opportunity to connect with industry pros, ministry leaders, vendors, and other likeminded fans during general sessions, workshops, and exhibits.

Featured industry professionals in the genres of comics, video games, film and faith include: Mike S. Miller (Justice League of America, Batman: Arkham), Flint Dille (Transformers, Teen Titans, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu), Chris Yambar (The Simpsons, Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol), Kevin Grevioux (Underworld, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.), Pastor Fred Price Jr. (Crenshaw Christian Center), Mike Kunkel (Herobear and the Kid), Dr. Thomas Parham (Asuza Pacific University), Eric Jansen (Christ of Prophecy, Paraman), Buzz Dixon (Serenity, G.I. Joe), Dr. Fred Sanders (Biola University), Clyde Taber (Visual Story Network), Bill Morrison (Bongo Comics, The Simpsons), and many more.

Pitch sessions for entertainment creators of all types will be conducted throughout the day for aspiring talent to present their work to industry professionals. Panels cover topics such as Pitfalls for Independent Artists, You Can’t Do That in Christian Media, Video Games: Controlled Conflict, Women In Media, 168 Film and DIY Film Making, Cosplay & Christians, Ministry + Artistry = Profitability?, Modern Media & Message, Breaking In Without Selling Out, Geeky Guys 4 God, and more.  

Exhibitors include leading comics distributors such as Kingstone Comics and LAMP PoST, along with Geekdom Wear, The Resurrection Project, Kids in the Spotlight, guest artists available for commissions, and many more.

Presented by The Christian Comic Arts Society, the event is sponsored by The Resurrection Project, Lightside Games, FrontGate Media, SocialZing, ChristianCinema.com, NewReleaseTuesday.com, Hollywood Jesus, Sonoma Christian Home, Faded Pictures, Kids In The Spotlight, Christian Film Database, Internet Podcast Database (IPDb), and Visual Story Network.  iTickets.com is the official ticketing partner for the event. 

The Christian Comics Art Society is hosting the Alpha Omega Con at Redeemer Church, 15151 Cordova Blvd. La Mirada, CA 90638 on September 20, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.   Advance tickets are available at the event web site and on iTickets.com for only $5.  Admission is $10 at the door.  Children 12 and under are free with an adult ticket.  For more information about programming, exhibitors, cosplay guidelines, and to register for the event, please visit http://www.AlphaOmegaCon.com or http://www.iTickets.com or call 800-965-9324.   

ABOUT CHRISTIAN COMIC ARTS SOCIETY

The Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) is a non-profit international organization that includes professionals, amateurs, and fans who enjoy comic books, science fiction, fantasy, gaming, cosplay, and other pop culture elements.  Founded in 1985 by Don Ensign, the CCAS has had a Christian presence for almost 20 years at comic conventions such as San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon, and Phoenix Comic Con.  CCAS has distributed tens of thousands of gospel tracts, Bibles, and free materials at conventions around the country, and serves as a vendor of quality Christian comics.  CCAS is governed by a volunteer board which includes Ralph Miley (New Creation), Holly Knevelbaard (Artist), Scott A. Shuford (FrontGate Media), Clint D. Johnson (Faith Walker/ M:2520 Media), and Luis Serrano (Samson the Nazirite, Rooted Chronicles) along with numerous volunteers from the comic industry and the Church. Free membership is available on our social community at www.ChristianComicArts.com, or you can follow us at www.Facebook.com/ChristianComicArts, or www.Twitter.com/ChristianComics.

ONE-TWO, KILL A FEW DEBUTS FROM PRO SE PRODUCTIONS

A leading independent publisher of Genre Fiction, Pro Se Productions announces the release of the first in a previously self published series of mysteries by author John Achor. One-Two, Kill A Few: A Casey Fremont Mystery debuts the title character, a woman forced to take on the role of detective in order to unravel a web of danger around her and to save her own life.

“Everybody,” says Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief of and Partner in Pro Se Productions, “loves a good mystery. Even more than that, the detective story is probably the most popular sub genre within Crime and Mystery. Although she’s not a policeman or a private eye, Casey Fremont definitely fits the ‘detective’ bill. John has crafted a character who, while definitely being someone you could know from high school or see shopping in a grocery store, also clearly has the skills, drive, and personality to wind her way through a deadly puzzle. Not only that, but Casey, as well as the other people John plants around her, are not caricatures, but instead are characters that readers can identify with and enjoy. You can’t beat a series that has both a believable cast and good solid mysteries in one package.”

Struggling to recover from a disastrous marriage and contentious divorce, Casey Fremont would prefer to make ends meet with her paycheck from a temp job; but now her goal of personal and mental renewal becomes one of staying alive as she solves a riddle of murder and mayhem.

Casey Fremont is on her way to interview for a temp job when a falling body nearly lands on her. Three days later, a second man, this one from her own office, dies in a similar manner and Casey is drawn into the intrigue. She confirms her suspicions, but one of her her friends ends up in the hands of kidnappers. Casey must solve the mystery before she becomes the third body to go over the railing.

Author John Achor introduces amateur sleuth Casey Fremont in a newly released edition of One-Two, Kill A Few: A Casey Fremont Mystery, the first in the Casey Fremont series from Pro Se Productions.

Featuring a fantastic cover and logo design by Jeffrey Hayes and print formatting by Percival Constantine, One-Two, Kill A Few: A Casey Fremont Mystery is available in print at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Pro Se’s own store at http://tinyurl.com/qeydwum for 15.00. The book is also available as an eBook, formatting and design by Russ Anderson, from Amazon for the Kindle and www.smashwords.com in various formats for only $2.99.

For more information on this title, interviews with the authors, or digital copies for review, contact Morgan McKay, Pro Se’s Director of Corporate Operations, at directorofcorporateoperations@prose-press.com.

For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.

[Link] Cut the Crap

by Andrea Judy

The process of editing.

The process of editing and rewriting.

Cutting words from your work can suck. It can, without a doubt, be one of the toughest parts of the writing process, especially when you either a) have to cut a lot of words/pages  b) have to add a lot of words/pages or c) to cut huge sections and redo them.

Figuring out what can stay and what can go is one of the challenges of making your story the strongest it can be. Here are a  few things that can help (and by the way, making gifs on Photoshop is a great way to waste time but an awful way to get editing done.) These are basically things that I do once I have a first draft of a story.

Continue reading: http://judyblackcloud.wordpress.com/2014/07/07/cut-the-crap/

[Link] THE BIRTH OF PLOTTY PANTS!

When given the choice between
Plotty Pants or Skinny Jeans,
ALWAYS choose Plotty Pants.

By Bobby Nash

If you’re a writer then you’ve probably been asked this question at least once. “Are you a Plotter or a Pantser?” If you haven’t, just hang on because it’s coming. Personally, I’m not a big fan of hanging labels on people like this, but we should look at what they are first.

A Plotter is a writer who knows his or her story backward and forward before writing a single word on the manuscript. Often, Plotters create detailed outlines so there are no surprises as he or she writes the novel.

A Pantser is a writer who flies by the seat of his or her pants and starts writing and allows the story to flow organically and in the moment. Pantsers usually don’t know how the story is going to end when they start writing.

And then there are writers like me who fall somewhere in the middle. For the sake of this blog post, we’ll call us Plotty Pants, a name that I just coined and one that I am equally sure is going to come back and bite me in the ass eventually.

Continue reading at http://yiwashington.com/2014/08/19/guest-post-bobby-nash-2/

Nuggets #18 -- Be an Evil Godling

When I write I become the evil godling of my own universe. 

I have to be. If I'm not mean enough to throw everything 

I can at my characters to stop them from pursuing their 

goals, then I'm going to fail as a storyteller.

Rick Ruby "A Tree Falls in a Forest" -- a teaser from the story

Want a peek from the upcoming Rick Ruby story? Okay, you twisted my arm...

Rick shared the laugh and checked his watch again. 6:58 PM. Time kept barreling on like a train. Clickety clack. Clickety clack. Whoo whoo. Too late to back out now. 

A few minutes later, a beautiful woman in an elegant but tasteful black dress that revealed her silky, stocking-clad legs entered the room. She walked resolutely to Rick, nodded at Edie, said thanks for letting her know about the funeral, then promptly kissed Rick full on the mouth. 

“Not the time, Claire,” Rick said.

“It seems it's rarely the time lately,” she said, but let's not get into that tonight, sweetheart."

The kiss was still oozing guilt all over his lips when the door opened again and Donna entered the bar. She wore a blue dress that hugged her in all the places a dress was supposed to, and she glared at Claire, then waved with a smile at Belle and Broomstick.

“Thanks for coming, Donna,” Edie said.

“Thanks for letting me know, kiddo. But if Eddie finds out, he's gonna have my hide.” She walked over to Rick and hugged him then let go. “Still, I couldn't not come. It wouldn't be right.”

“Well, that's one thing we can agree on,” Claire said, returning the glare. 

Donna cleared her throat and looked at Rick. “Well, more like two things, I'd think.”

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now #294 -- Re-Reading Your Own Work

How often do you go back and re-read your own work after it has been published?

Sometimes.

How's that for a vague answer?

But it's true. There are some stories that I'm just done with once I finish them because I was way too close to them during the telling, and they've begun to get in my head like that "Don't Worry, Be Happy" song did. You know... the kind of song you never, ever want to hear again.

Then there are others that I will go back to again and find that I enjoy very much. I learned this from doing public readings. It always surprised me that I often enjoyed the story more through the act of sharing it aloud with others. I think that may be one of the most amazing things a writer can do with his or her work.

However, I usually have to give myself a year of so between finishing the tale and then re-reading it. One does need a little distance, I've found.

Moonstone releases Of Monsters and Men!

NEW FROM MOONSTONE BOOKS!

INCLUDES "Sanctuary" by Sean Taylor -- featuring the Golden Amazon and Quasimodo!

Nine brand NEW tales of PULP HEROES vs MONSTERS!
The Green Lama, Richard Knight, Captain Future, Green Ghost, Moon Man, and more…
Battle demons and monstrosities from out of this world, by some of today's top talents!

In softcover AND hardcover, from Moonstone:

Softcover: http://moonstonebooks.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=1066

Hardcover: http://moonstonebooks.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=1067

BONUS: The special hardcover edition features all the stories in the Soft Cover as well as 100 extra pages that reprint the previously published “Domino Lady vs Mummy,” “Black Bat vs Dracula,” and “Phantom Detective vs Frankenstein.”

Visit me at Imaginarium in Louisville, KY!

It's going to a blast. Here's what my schedule of panels and workshops looks like:

Friday 7:00 PM Gats, Gams, & Greenhorns

Saturday 12:30 PM What Makes a Good Blog
Saturday 2:00 PM The Nuts & Bolts of Comic Scripts
Saturday 4:00 PM The World of a Magazine Editor (M)
Saturday 6:00 PM Comic Script Creation 1 (Workshop)

Sunday 12:00 PM Comic Script Creation 2 (Workshop)
Sunday 3:00 PM How to Build a Better Bad Guy (M)