5 Years, 5 Lessons

Today marks 5 years since Swords & Sixguns: An Outlaw's Tale was first published.  In that time, I've sold 208 copies (little lower than I hoped by this point...dang COVID), plus I've learned quite a bit about the ins and outs of being a professional writer.  So in no particular order, here's the top 5 lessons I can impart to those of you who may be starting out on your own writing journey...

#1 - You'll Never Catch All the Typos
This is one I've learned in the past month.  Recently, KDP (my printer) began offering a hardcover option, so as soon as I had the time, I started updating the original paperback file in the hope that I could launch the hardcover today.  Well, due to various reasons, I cannot do so just yet, one of them being that, every time I thought I'd ferreted out every last typo, another one popped up.  I'd become aware of about a half-dozen of them not long after the initial release, thanks to my mother-in-law, who went so far as to take a highlighter to the copy I gave her!  I figured I'd fix them in a later edition, so when the hardcover option came along, I went about doing just that.  Well, while doing so, I'd occasionally stop and read the manuscript just for pure pleasure...and the more I read, the more typos jumped out.  A missing letter here, a formatting error there, just enough goofs to annoy the heck outta me.  I think the new tally is 10 known typos in the paperback version, and I'm giving up there before I totally obsess over it.  The only consolation I have is that, in the past 5 years, I've found typos in all sorts of big-name works, so it appears that it's inevitable no matter who the writer is or how many editors go over it.  Best advice I can give is to take note of 'em, fix 'em when ya can, and look upon the whole thing as a lesson in wabi sabi.

#2 - Always Ask How to Spell Their Name, No Matter How Easy It Sounds
Speaking of typos (or potential ones), I learned this lesson when I did my very first con, specifically Motor City Nightmares in 2017.  One of my first sales that day was to a fella named Lary...yes, he spelled it with one R.  It was a very important lesson, and I'm glad I got it out of the way early, because once you take your Sharpie in hand and autograph that book, you can't undo it.  Luckily, he told me this before I'd made any sort of mark, so I got his name right on the first try.  This has led to me asking how to spell the person's name every time I do an autograph -- sometimes even writing it down on a separate piece of paper beforehand -- and just about everyone gets to hear about "Lary with one R" when I do so.

#3 - Everyone Has An Opinion on What You Should Write
You need to get used to this one real fast, because you'll deal with it nearly every time someone finds out you're a writer.  I've lost track of how many people want me to write a love story, or their biography/genealogy, or whatever idea that's been bouncing around in their head for years but they don't know how to do, so they think I should do it instead.  I tell them that I barely have time to do my own work, so I'm not about to take on theirs.  The "love story" one is what really stumps me, though: I get that not everyone is into Westerns or horror or fantasy, but why do they think I should be writing love stories instead?  If it's because I'm of the female persuasion, then I'd really wish they'd quit trying to stereotype me.  Whenever there's romance in one of my stories, it's because it just happened along the way, it's not the main reason for the plot.  For those of you who do write love stories on a regular basis, more power to ya, I'll start sending the people requesting such things your way from now on, just so long as you send the Western-horror-fantasy people towards me.

#4 - Someone Will Always Sell More Books Than You
This was a hard lesson to learn, and it occurred a few years into doing cons.  I shared a table with another self-published author whose book had come out about 4 months earlier.  I think by this point I'd sold about 150 books, so I asked how many he'd sold so far, expecting it to be about the same or lower.  Nope, he'd sold over 600...in hardcover, at that.  It was like I'd been punched in the gut.  To be fair, his book was nonfiction, and on local history, so we weren't even close to the same genre, but it still shocked me that he'd moved four times as many books as I had, and in a much-smaller timeframe.  I felt like a failure, and it took me a while to get over that.  I had to accept that, unless I wanted to write very specifically for whatever's hot on the market at any given moment (see Lesson #3), I was always going to be fighting for every sale, so I should be proud of the ones I get.  On the flipside of that, I've tried to act as a mentor for a young self-published author who is in the same genre as myself (zombies, not Westerns), and I'm proud whenever she posts that she sold out of books at a con.  This is a tough business, and unless you run into a writer who's just a total dick, we should cheer each other on.

#5 - Always Be On the Lookout for Work in Unlikely Places

When you're operating on an less-than-a-shoestring budget like I am, you gotta take advantage of any opportunity to get your name out there.  I've been a guest at a little-bitty con essentially for charity, I've winged it at panels and on podcats, I've distributed well over 4,000 flyers, and I've written stuff for numerous publications, both physical and digital.  It's in the latter area where I've had the most success: while some of the stuff has yet to see the light of day (I've submitted one short story to three different publications so far, all of which folded before printing said story), there's one piece in particular that's still bringing in benefits of a sort.  Since I began writing An Illustrated History of Jonah Hex in 2011, I've not only received public praise from Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, I caught the attention of Johnathon Schaech when he came across a "special edition" of the project in 2016.  This led to me starting up the Via Pony Express podcast with three like-minded Hex-nuts, plus I recently interviewed Schaech about his part in Legends of Tomorrow...something that may've never happened if Justin Francoeur hadn't seen my work and asked me to contribute to his DC in the '80s zine.

And on that note, I'd like to publicly announce a bit of upcoming work that came about, from all things, while scrolling around on Facebook.  Last month, Peter David put up a post regarding open submissions for an anthology he was putting together, so I took a chance, submitted an idea...and I got in!  Approval for my finished short story came back yesterday, though he suggested a few edits, which I was happy to make (when Peter David suggests an edit, you do it!).  So come February 2022, look for my name in Fans Are Buried Tales, alongside pros like Paul Kupperberg, David Gerrold, and Mr. David himself.  Reckon maybe this'll sell more than 208 copies!

Pick Your Battles, Choose Your Class

Okay, kids, get ready for me to ramble on a bit.  If you're here, you're either already a regular follower of my blog (all six of you), or you clicked one of the links I have up on Facebook, possibly attached to my profile or cover pic.  To keep this in historical context for anyone coming across this in the years to come, it's been a little over a month since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis by a cop who knelt on his neck for close to nine minutes.  Since then, the outrage over Floyd's death -- along with the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other people of color as of late -- has exploded into protests across all 50 states and around the world in an effort to end police brutality once and for all.  Over three weeks ago, we saw a protest outside the White House in Lafayette Square that led to an act that shocked people on both sides of the aisle.  I imagine the scope of these protests wouldn't be so large were it not for the fact that so many people -- especially people of color -- are out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is happening.  It is still happening, and now that it appears to be bringing about actual change (even as a certain someone continues to push back against it), I don't think they'll be stopping anytime soon.  The wedge has been inserted, and it needs to be pushed in further to have real effect, lest things so back to the way they were once pressure is relieved.

Please understand, this is not a call to violence on my part.  Looters, rioters, and those who willfully bring harm to others should be charged, but those who are protesting peacefully should always be allowed to do so...and keep in mind, there are many ways to support the #BlackLivesMatter movement, as this lovely chart I found illustrates:

Going by this, I'm apparently classified as a Bard, as I do my best to share important information far and wide, as well as try to keep folks amused in an effort to give them a bit of a mental break.  You'd think that would be an easy job, but as I've discovered recently, it's not.  The current struggle has just about worn me out, at least in regards to being an ally on social media.

Nearly seven years ago, I set up a Facebook account, not because I'm a sociable person, but because I was getting ready to self-publish my novel and knew it would be a good way to reach potential customers.  Just setting up the account was a pain in the ass, but I did it, and soon found myself sucked into all the dumb shit people do on Facebook, along with my admin duties on both my book page and the Jonah Hex fan page started by Darren Schroeder.  The last few years, I've been trying to avoid the unending feed and just look at individual pages so I don't spend forever there, but with everything going on the past month or so, I couldn't help myself, and I've been sharing stuff and weighing in on debates and unfriending people as the divide between all of us grows wider and wider.  The last couple of days, my soul has been hurting over an argument that started just because I shared something I felt needed to be seen by more people (I'm not going to go into it, I don't want to go into it, I've already deleted the damn thread and wish I'd done so sooner).  I spent a good part of yesterday doing one of two things: crying because I'm already getting exhausted from fighting this battle, or getting angry at myself for deciding to self-censor and back away from a battle that is worth fighting.

So I'm trying to find a middle ground, starting with essentially "turning off" my personal FB page.  I can't fully delete it because that'd cut me off from my admin duties for the other pages, but I am going to reduce my postings on it to near-zero.  No more endless scrolling for hours on end, no more sharing stuff unless I really feel it's necessary.  Y'all need me for something, go to Swords & Sixguns or Jonah Hex, Via Pony Express because I'll still be posting stuff there on a regular basis.  Or send me a note through Messenger because that's actually a useful FB feature.  Or send an old-fashioned email.  Point is, I'm not really hard to find.

So, what am I going to do to be an ally that doesn't involve sharing news and info on my personal Facebook page?  Well, I'm still putting things of that nature up on my book page, I just usually make sure they have more of a historical bent to them (consider it my contribution to #WhitePeopleHomework.).  And on VPE, I recently addressed the big gray elephant in the room in regards to Jonah's uniform (if you go to the "About" section for that page, you'll find an essay titled "The Clothes Do Not Make the Man" -- it was reviewed by all members of the Via Pony Express podcast, so this is effectively our public statement on the subject).

Then there's the second book...yes, I'm still working on it.  That's the other reason for prying myself away from FB: so I can actually find time to work on my writing projects.  All this stuff going on recently has given me a renewed sense of urgency because -- in a roundabout way -- the plot of the second book addresses it on some levels.  Y'see, years ago, I wrote out the beats of where I wanted Richard's story to go, so as I wrote the first book, I already knew where he'd end up in the second one, and planted a seed.  You may recall a conversation between Richard and H'landa on Page 185 about the various countries that make up Arkhein:

“I have been to six of the Seven Known Lands,” [H'landa] said.  “Here, of course, and my birth-land of Nevasile, as well as Gobaira, Ikara, M’salnek...I even went to Keto once, but that place barely counts.”

“What’s the seventh?  Why haven’t you been there?”

His mouth twisted.  “Haru-D’keng.  No one goes there, especially Kana-Semeth.”

“Why not?”

“That country is full of madmen.  Their idea of ‘order’ and the Kana-Semeth’s have very little in common.”  He poked at the fire some more.  “The borders between Haru-D’keng and the rest of Arkhein were set long ago.  As long as we each stay on our own side, all is well.”

“Oh, come on, how bad can the place be?”

He gave me a sideways glance.  “The less you know, the better you will sleep at night.  Trust me.”

So, what is it about Haru-D'keng that's so awful?  That's what the second book is about.  Something happens near the beginning of the story that'll convince Richard he needs to travel to Haru-D'keng, no matter how much others discourage him from doing so.  He soon learns that the majority of the people there live in virtual slavery, yet the Kana-Semeth -- who otherwise swear to protect all people -- seem unconcerned with helping to end the situation.  Better to maintain the status quo than to provoke a war.  Richard does his best to go through proper channels, but it soon becomes apparent that he'll have to put his own life on the line in order to change things.  If he truly believes in granting the people of Haru-D'keng the same level of freedom that himself and others in Arkhein enjoy, he'll have to take on an entire country.

Or to put it in 2020 parlance, Richard is about to go a little Antifa on their asses.

When I came up with this idea years ago, I never imagined it'd end up reflecting current events, but it is to a degree.  He sees a people oppressed and wants to help, but those in charge want to stop him.  Going back to that chart, Richard's gonna act as a Tank at multiple points, literally putting himself between those in need and those who wish to harm them.  Will it bring about actual change in the end?  You'll have to wait and see...same as all of us in 2020 are doing in regards to what's going on right now.  We've all got to pick our battles and choose what class we're best suited for.  I'm a Bard, and I've got stories to tell.  Wish me luck.

More podcasting, plus another author talk.

A bit late posting this, but the second episode of Via Pony Express is available for listening.  It's the first part of a series on Jonah's life prior to becoming a bounty hunter, with this one covering his boyhood years.

Meanwhile, I'm making up for my lack of gigs over the spring/summer by hosting another author talk, this time in Port Huron! I'll be at the St. Clair County Main Library over on McMorran Blvd. on Saturday, October 5th from 2-3pm. I'll be talking about my work and writing in general, with books for sale afterward, as well as a raffle for those attending. It's aimed mostly at teens, but I reckon they won't mind a few grownups showing up as well. Unlike my other gigs, though, space is limited to 30 participants, so if you plan on attending, you'll need to sign up for your spot at the library's website.  Hope to see you there!

VPE is on the air!

The first episode of the "Via Pony Express" podcast went up a few days ago, and folks are liking what they hear (by the by, this lovely pic here that we're using to promote it is by co-host Arreah Bihary).  At the moment, the podcast is only available for download on Podbean, but we're working on other venues.  One step at a time, kids!  Between this and my Bleeding Cool article, I've got a bit more than usual to promote at Bluewater International Comic-Con this weekend, which hopefully will translate into more book sales.  I've got 29 copies of Swords & Sixguns: An Outlaw's Tale on hand, so let's see if I can have my first sell-out!

UPDATE: Due to copyright restrictions, we had to change the name/web address of the podcast.  The link above has already been changed to reflect this.  Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

Upcoming con appearances and random Hex news

Haven't posted in a while, so I reckoned I should catch y'all up on some things...

Not doing many con appearances this year -- I plan on buckling down to get the next Swords & Sixguns novel done -- but I do have two scheduled.  For those of you in the Port Huron, MI area, I'll be appearing at Bluewater International Comic-Con March 30-31.  I had a great time last year and managed to sell 10 books (a one-day record for me), so I'm hoping to do even better with it being a two-day show this time around.  Advance tickets are still on sale, or you can buy 'em at the Bluewater Convention Center the day of the show.  Stop by my table and say hello!  Also, I will be out and about again on Free Comic Book Day, this time setting up my table at Comix Corner in Fraser, MI.  I'll post more details about that gig when we get closer to it.

In other news, I'm partnering up with some other Hex-nuts to start a podcast called "Jonah Hex, Via Pony Express" (yep, same as the Facebook page).  We've done a couple of recording sessions, but nothing has posted yet.  I will let y'all know as soon as episodes become available.

Speaking of Hex, if you're unaware, the old buzzard has been popping up quite a bit in the last 6 months.  First there was the news that Brian Michael Bendis was creating a new great-great-granddaughter for him named Jinny Hex (though we don't now much about her yet, I've already given her an entry on the Hex family tree).  She debuted in the Walmart-exclusive Batman Giant #4 back in October 2018 then moved on to Bendis's revival of the Young Justice title in January 2019.  From what I hear, we'll get the full skinny on her lineage around YJ#5 due out in May, so there's that to look forward to.

After her debut, I figured that'd be the end of Hex-related stuff in those Walmart books, but nope, the next month I got word that the old man himself popped up in Justice League Giant #5, fighting alongside Wonder Woman of all people!  Turned out Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner were writing that one, so I guess Jimmy just couldn't resist picking up Jonah's story from where he left off in 2014: the boat he and Tallulah bought is mentioned, and though his facial scar is back, I reckon the plastic surgery he received might've gotten undone somehow.  That story is still going on, having recently moved over to the new Wonder Woman Giant.

The same month WWG#1 hit Walmart, Batman Giant #8 also featured Jonah, in connection to the same story that saw the debut of Jinny Hex, and it appears he'll be in at least one more issue before moseying on.  Basically, if you're a Hex-nut and you don't live near a Walmart that stocks these, you're screwed (for that reason, we've been posting scans of both the Wonder Woman stuff and the Batman stuff over at VPE, though I've heard they may be available in regular comic shops soon).  Oh, and it appears that a possibly-robotic version of Hex will be appearing in Adventures of the Super-Sons #9 this April...so for those of you keeping score, Jonah Hex and/or folks related to him in some fashion will be featured in four separate titles over the next couple of months, a rare occurrence in his 5 decades of existence.  Hey, DC, howsabout ya take the hint your own writers are dropping and give the old man his own series again, eh?

Okay, that's abut all I have to say at the moment.  See ya 'round the Interwebs!