In a Job/Outta Job, Book Signings, Creativity, Mania, and the Summer I Didn't Remember...

Well, greetings once more...been a while indeed since yours truly found a moment to sit down, think and actually have time to write this blog thing. I have got to tell you, this has been on crazy fucking summer, and as the title notes, I don't remember it.

I should say that I do remember it, but I don't remember having much time to enjoy it. The summer that was 2014 was one of intense work, travel, road-running, creativity and not a fair bit of madness.

I've talked a bit here and there about my new job, reporting with the GeoTraffic Network. It is no secret that there have been some issues, and I am one of the laid-off. The hope is that this is not for more than a short period. I'm still employed, I have some work here and there, and this old radio hound is back to jobbing about for different companies while keeping an ear to the ground.

That is how it goes, folks. Nothing is ever certain in this business, and I'm not here to rant, rave, bitch and moan about it. I've done this 30 years--it merely IS.

I am hopeful things turn around, and if they do, great. If not, life goes on, and we all do.

THAT SAID:

Let's get to the next important, big thing. I had my first-ever book signing last Saturday at Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA. "Parasite Girls" was front and center on the main stage. I shared the spot with Robert Walton, author of "Fatal Snow" and my cover artist Mitch Bentley also arrived:

Here we are...Mr. Walton is in the background, and we're doing our best to sell the book to this gentleman at the left.

Nice man, and we met quite a few cool folks. One good friend of mine I'd never met showed up...our dear friend Alice Potteiger came off a long run w/o sleep at the Pullo Center to take these photos and others (love you, Alice!)...had some nice conversations, and a big thanks to the Midtown Scholar for their kindnesses.

Good time all 'round...also made some good networking contacts. "Fatal Snow" is published by Sunbury Publishing, and I recently had an email exchange with its head, Lawrence Knorr. I am encouraged by Mr. Knorr's feeling that I am on the right track, and getting my work out there.

The whole weekend makes this thing worth it. It is going in the direction I wanted.

Now what is next? The potential for recording an audio version of "Parasite Girls" is there. I am looking into that possibility now, as well as planning my work towards getting more promotional time to put out the book.

At the same time, I must get ready for the follow-up. My first foray into the Young Adult Fiction world is "Drifters: Tales of the Southern Cross." You can read rough bits of that here at www.behance.net/torygates along with other things I've done.

I've been trying to figure out what to do with this story, and its potential for sequels. Today, I had a very deep creative urge, and suddenly the past few months of what would I do next with the Drifters Club became clear.

There is a possible sequel, and even a third book, another trilogy. Do you know how many of these I have?

I have two other, unpublished trilogies, "The Other Roads Club" and "The Outcast Society." When I'll get to 'em, no idea.

"Drifters" is next on the agenda, but in the meantime I continue to write, and consider the next steps.

There are so many steps, so many avenues, but I need to choose wisely and figure out the direction for each one. 

I feel very much like the Nowhere Man in "Yellow Submarine." I'm doing all these things, but who is there to read them? Or hear them? Will they ever?

I have assigned myself the task of living long enough to make sure I've gotten a requisite amount of work ready to be published. I aim to live long enough to see this, and all of this come to something, dammit.

The world is flying by me as I do this, but that is my life. I do not see any other option. Being out of work for so long left me time to do this. I could not spend years hiding behind my keyboard and sniping at the universe like a fucking troll, attacking people for the problems I think I have.

I don't have a problem, per se. I really don't. I have a lot of stuff to be thankful for, and I plan to make use of what I've got. My second life began in 2007, when I started writing the "Sweet Dreams Series," another that must be got out. 

I'll do this on my own, until the time comes someone gets what I am doing. Advice people ask for is how I do it...now that's gonna get me into a mini-rant:

Here's the thing: for years, YEARS, people have around me been saying, they have ideas for books, stories, this, that, etc. I'm gonna do this, do that, get this, be that...

...and they never fucking do it.

They don't think they can, don't think anyone will be there, don't have time, and invent a million excuses why and why not.

THERE ARE NO FUCKING EXCUSES THAT WILL WASH. NONE.

My painter friend Sunny said it over 20 years ago...you just have to do it.

That's what I do.

Am I fucking nuts? Probably. Clearly mental, at times...manic at times, depressed more often, but still fairly even keeled enough to know when to stop and when not to.

Okay, I don't always do that, it's true. But I'm working better at it.

So look...as fucked up as I'm sure a lot of people must think I am, this is what I do. I do what I love doing, I do not do things I don't enjoy. If I don't feel right in a situation, I leave. Not because I am paranoid, or whacked out or any of that. I have to do what is right for me, or I don't survive. That's it.

Anyway...I hope for things to improve in different areas, and I do my best to stay healthy,not worry too much and find good shit where I can.

I'm outta here...Peace.

To Serialize, or Not to Serialize...that is the Question...

I am seriously considering doing this, and wondering what others might think.  A few years ago, I serialized the first 2/3 of Book 1 of "The Other Roads Club," to see what kind of reaction I'd get.


Some people definitely read it, and I got some good compliments.  My reasons are to see how some of my other work stands up.  I will not put out the first book of the Sweet Dreams Series, because that is dear to me and requires much more work.


My idea is to put out the first book (in its rough form) of "The Outcast Society:  the Way We Are."  I put page 99 of this here on the blog last year, as part of a blogfest/contest, that my friend Alicia started up.  I got good compliments from readers on just that page, and there was a definite interest in the story.


I think I want to do it; I'll start the work to copyright the story (even in this form, I can always update it), and then post up chapter by chapter, say one a week or thereabouts.


What do YOU think?  Do you want to read one of my Japanese-located YA fictional deals, and find out what really is going on upstairs in my head?


Consider that it's been edited, but not completely, would you read it?  Would you buy it when it was put out?


Would you be willing to tell me what you think?  I'm sure you would.  Let me know...because I think this is a form of promotion of my work, and while this may not come out for a while, it is something you might get into...I want to see how many people might come over to the blog to read and check it out.


OK?  I await your responses...

The 99th Page Blogfest!

It's time for the Blogfest!  Thanks to Alicia and Riz for getting me into this...I'm not sure how this is going to work, if it even will at all...HTML is a pain in the ass, and I don't know if the link below will even work:


<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=70016" type="text/javascript" ></script>


That's a linkup for other bloggers to get involved.  You can also go to "Slice of the Blog Pie," Leesh's site to find out more. Now, for the instructions I pirated from Leesh:


"When reading this page and all the others, you should focus and answer the following three questions:

1. Would you turn to page 100?
2. Why or why not?
3. Based on what you read, how likely would you buy the book?

In true Page 99 test fashion, I'm giving you anything about the story except the genre."


This is from the first book of "The Outcast Society" trilogy, subtitled, "The Way We Are."


---

            A huge paw came out, but Miya felt Tomo’s grip as a polite, rather than strong one.  “Good to meet you, Miya,” he said, his voice loud due to the noise all around, “welcome.”

            Miya thanked him as Ryu said, “Tomo’s gonna blow those poseurs away, isn’t that right?”

            “Hey,” Tomo replied with a laugh, “that’s my cousin up there on guitar!  But yeah, I know; they’re just getting started, they’ll get better with time.  By the way, Miya,” he added, “I can play just about anything, so don’t be afraid to ask.  No need to bribe, either; if you’re one of Ryu’s friends, you’re one of mine.”

            As Tomo headed for the booth, Kani explained, “Tomo makes a lot on tips to play requests.”

            “I see.”  Miya was quite content to sit and watch the band from here, especially as Kani was with her.  Once Black Death had finished (to polite applause and a few cheers from their more devoted fans), Tomo started out with a thundering track by Mussolini Headkick, but then overlaid what sounded like hip-hop scratching from another record that was all drums.

            “If you could see Tomo up there,” Yoshi told him, “you’d be amazed.  He does crazy stuff.”

            The dance floor was now filling up as the star of the club was on, and Miya soon found herself back on the floor, right across from Kani.  There wasn’t much space as more dancers crowded on, and Miya didn’t see anyone else in the flashing lights.  She reached out, and she and Kani caught each other by the arms.  Miya pulled her closer, and that was good enough for her.

---


I await your thoughts, and answers...