I won’t do an Adam Yauch memorial, because other writers will have by this time done it far better than I. But his death did make me recall that he was part of my formative years, and therefore I dedicate this blog post to his memory. RIP, Adam.

The Beastie Boys were the very first concert I ever attended, wayyy back in 1986. They opened for Run-DMC at Red Rocks, which I think might very well be the greatest concert venue in the whole world. I went with my friend Nat and I couldn’t believe that my folks even allowed me to go unsupervised. There was alcohol! Pot! And it was being passed around! My memory of the Beasties is that they were all extremely drunk, to the point that they couldn’t quite stand up onstage. They were also opening beers by squeezing them until they burst, and threw some at people in the stands. And a good time was had by all. Video link: Beastie Boys – 2007, Red Rocks

That got me thinking about some other concerts I’ve attended, all of which had their own memorable events attached to them. Lots of video links follow. I’m not identifying the songs. Explore. Take a trip through time with me.

In 1988, I went to see the one-hit wonders Pseudo Echo at the Glenn Miller Ballroom at Colorado University. This one was memorable because it was the first concert I ever went to with a girl: my girlfriend of the moment, a band chick named Sarah who had odd tastes in music, television (She dug The Young Ones) and boys (me). You probably don’t remember Pseudo Echo, but this was their one hit, a cover tune (naturally): Pseudo Echo – 1987

In the summer of 1990, I saw Rush for the first time with a drummer friend of mine named Troy. We caught them at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater, which I still refuse to call by any other name. This was a turning point for me, because it launched me on my love of progressive rock. A band called Mr. Big, fronted by bassist Billy Sheehan opened for them. Video link: Rush, 1990

1992, I saw Rush again with my friend Jeff. What I recall specifically about this concert is that it had been a stormy, rainy day all day, and the moment they came out to play, the rain stopped. Video Link: Rush, 1992

I also saw Van Halen in 1992, with Alice In Chains opening for them. My memory is that Layne Staley of AiC was having a very difficult time holding his trademark drawn-out notes due to the combination of altitude and whatever brand of heroin he was on at the time. Video Link: Van Halen, 1991-1992

I also saw Tesla in 1992 (it was a good year for me for concerts) with my friend Keren. This was the second concert I attended with a girl (who was, unfortunately, not my girlfriend at the time – though if she ever reads this, I’d totally have been your guy if you’d ever dumped that slimeball, Keren). It was another Red Rocks show, and they played four encore tunes, which was pretty frickin’ cool. Video Link: Tesla, 1992

Then there was a long drought where I didn’t go to any concerts at all. The next one I recall attending was Rush in 1997. This was special because it was the third concert with a girl and the first one with my wife Richelle. Rush, 1997

Between work time and starting a family, we neither had the finances or the time to attend concerts for several years. We missed Rush (the only band I’m really excited to still see live) in 2002, but we caught them at Red Rocks again in 2004. I remember that Geddy Lee had a bank of clothes dryers instead of amplifiers behind him, and after the encore, he and Alex Lifeson opened them, took out t-shirts, and tossed them into the crowd. Video Link: Rush, 2004

In 2006, I went to see the New Cars and Blondie at Fiddler’s Green. This was memorable primarily because I won the tickets from 105.5 JACK FM, and since I’ve almost never won anything in my life, this was a big deal. Great show, brought back lots of memories. I came home with a 102-degree fever, but I didn’t care. Video Link: The New Cars, 2006

2008 brought Rush back to Red Rocks again on their Snakes & Arrows tour. We were there. Geddy Lee’s clothes dryers had been replaced with chicken rotisseries. This is because he does the bass through digital output instead of analog, so he doesn’t need giant stacks of speakers behind him, but doesn’t like to have nothing back there. During the intermission, a little girl in a chef’s hat came out and basted the chickens. There was also a moment when a pair of helicopters overflew the venue at an apropos moment, although I don’t believe that was part of the show. We had to stagger down to our car through dark fields with only our cell phones to light the way. Video Link: Rush, 2008

Then in 2010, we caught them yet again at Red Rocks. It was an outstanding show, with lots of cyberpunk styling onstage (and a sausage making machine replacing the rotisseries). This one was fun because we brought along my wife’s uncle, who hadn’t seen Rush perform in probably 30 years. Video Link: Rush, 2010

Or, Let the Writer Beware

Source: http://www.texturemonkey.com

This isn’t related to the Writer Beware website, which is a highly-recommended resource for writers, but more of a cautionary tale.

As a conservative radio talk host here in Denver is so fond of saying, you have to understand where you sit before you know where you stand. Here is where I sit: I am what I would considers a bottom-feeding author. I have a lot of self-published material, pretty much all of which is selling at slow but steady rates-certainly nothing I (or a publisher) would consider midlist-level. From those self-published works, I was able to get a book deal from a micropublisher. I was not agented at the time, and negotiated the deal myself, which resulted in the release of my novel Just Cause. I was not paid an advance for this book, but am earning royalties. Around the beginning of this year, I signed with a literary agent, Carly Watters of PS Literary Agency, for my mainstream Young Adult novel The Guitarist. The Agency is in Toronto, and has a verifiable track record of sales. Carly signed me solely for my Young Adult works, with the understanding that she doesn’t have the contacts to effectively represent my speculative, adult-oriented fiction. I am still free to pursue other avenues with those works, whether seeking another agent, or a publisher on my own, or self-publishing them.

So that’s where I am right now.

What I’d like to do is offer up some benefits of working both sides of the system, because things that work well on one side generally cause problems on the other side. I am drawing strictly upon my own experiences here. As always, your mileage may vary.

Self-Publishing

Pros:

• Is much faster than traditional or even micropress.
• Virtually complete control over all aspects of your material from release dates to cover art to pricing.
• Amazon especially has great sales tracking, pays royalties monthly, and on time.
• You can release works that defy genre, conventional wisdom-your indulgences.
• Not dependent upon a third-party agent.

Cons:

• No marketing except what you do yourself.
• Extremely long time to build sales.
• Non-Amazon retailers pay quarterly and have poor sales tracking information formats.
• Amazon can override your pricing at their discretion.
• Indulgences are unlikely to ever sell in significant amounts.

Micropress (non-agented sales)

Pros

• Cover design and editing (in my case) handled and paid-for by the publisher.
• Layout of print and ebook handled and paid-for by the publisher
• Better royalty rates than Traditional publishing (but only on ebooks).
• Possibility of wider distribution.

Cons

• You’re at the mercy of the publisher’s schedule for edition releases, distribution, obtaining reviews, etc.
• You have to chase the royalties yourself if they don’t pay on a timely basis.
• You still have to do the bulk of the marketing yourself.
• Lower royalty-per-sale than if you self-published.
• You do not retain control over most aspects of your book (your contract should stipulate a rights return after a set period of time, though).

Traditional (agented-sale) publishing*

Pros

• Cover, design, layout, editing, distribution handled by the publisher
• Advances!
• Wide-ranging distribution in new (Internet) and traditional (bookstores) markets.
• Possibility of marketing support.
• Reviews in mainstream media and publications.
• Agent will chase royalties when required, fight on your behalf, and generally support your efforts.

Cons

• Possibility of NO marketing support.
• Lower royalty percentages, especially on ebooks.
• Agent takes 15% of your earned income (20% on foreign sales).
• Publisher still has final say in all aspects of your book.
• VERRRRRRY slow schedule (plan on 1.5-2 years from initial sale to publisher to a book on the shelves).

As you can see, there are pros and cons on all sides of the fence. There is no perfect solution, no perfect storm, except to work as many different angles as you can, like I’m doing now. Just be aware that all facets of publishing are rife with pitfalls to catch the unwary writer. I’ve made plenty of mistakes already, and am sure I will make plenty more as I continue to find my way through the minefield of becoming a published author and eventual bestseller. I see myself as a sort of trailblazer. I’m making these mistakes so maybe those of you who come along after me don’t have to.

You have been warned.

*Note: I am technically not at this stage yet, as my agent has not yet sold my work.

For awhile now, I’ve been unhappy with the general appearance of my “ebook store” link at the top of this page. It was cluttered, disorganized, and had no method by which you, the fans, could buy direct from me, the author. That has all changed with the launch of my new private publishing imprint, Local Hero Press.

Why an imprint instead of releasing under your own name?

Essentially it’s because someday I might want to expand to release work that is collaborative, such as anthologies, and I believe in that case it’s better to use an imprint. Also, I really like the name.

Aren’t you dividing your brand by doing this?

I don’t think so. I’m still the author of all these books, and most potential buyers are looking at the author’s name on the cover, not the publisher’s. In the case of those who do look at publisher names, they’ll learn that Local Hero Press releases a whole lot of books by the same dude, and they’re all fantastic reads.

Are you accepting submissions?

No. Don’t send them to me. Seriously, don’t. I won’t read them. Save your bandwidth for someone who will actually read your query before rejecting you (or possibly not, if you’re fabulous).

Do you have any other questions?

I’m not the first author to write superhero fiction, nor am I the first to be published. As I read other superhero novels, I will post the reviews here in case you’d like to check out my fellow authors in the trenches. Meanwhile, here is a collection of all the reviews I’ve done to date. Buckle in, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!

*Note: These are presented in the order I found them in my Goodreads list, not necessarily in the order I read them.
Wild Cards by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve read this book before, but this edition has new material added from authors Carrie Vaughn, Michael Cassutt, and David D. Levine. In short, the new additions are excellent and add more depth to an already richly detailed universe. This book made me want to write superhero fiction. I’m a fan of Wild Cards for life, and hope someday to get to make my own contribution to that universe.

View all my reviews
Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord by Van Allen Plexico

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some books make you feel like you’re watching a movie when you read them. Others feel like a TV show. Sentinels: When Strikes the Warlord is what I would consider the first book that successfully translates the feel of a comic book into prose. All the tropes and elements are there, from the nonstop action to the pithy dialogue. If I had to point to one single source of inspiration for this novel, it would have to be the work of Jack Kirby, and that’s a good thing. The Warlord is reminiscent of DC’s Darkseid, while the Sentinels themselves take cues from Iron Man and the Silver Surfer. The action really popped off the page and had cosmic implications, as promised in the cover blurb.

If there’s one complaint I have, it’s that the writing felt a little unpolished. Lots of adverbs pepper the tale, as does headhopping and some odd dialogue tags. But in the end, it’s a downright enjoyable read for anyone who wants their superheroes with a lot less angst and a lot more energy blasts and force fields.

View all my reviews
Aces High by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Closer to a true mosaic novel than the first book, Wild Cards II: Aces High brings new life to the comic book/science fiction trope of an alien invasion. I was hoping that the new ebook edition would have some new, expanded material in it like the first Wild Cards book did, but it’s the same as it was in previous editions. The only reason I didn’t give the book a full 5 stars is that it does feel like there are gaps in the story that would benefit from additional writing. Otherwise, an admirable tale.

View all my reviews
Masked by Lou Anders

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

View all my reviews
After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is fun, escapist novel set in a world where superpowered people exist and some fight crime. The protagonist, Celia, has two superpowered parents but has no abilities of her own and is trying to live her own life. Unfortunately, the trope of the superhero’s loved one-as-hostage is alive and well in this book. In fact, Carrie Vaughn takes all the major superhero tropes and blends them into an entertaining tale that reads fast and fun. From doomsday machines to diabolical villains who monologue their plans, long-lost relatives and heroes at odds with the populace who they have sworn to protect, all the standards are represented here. And yet, Vaughn’s storytelling breathes fresh life into the old cliches, building up to a climax that doesn’t disappoint. Darn good book. Darn good fun.

View all my reviews
Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

First off, I AM a comic book geek, and I approached this book with an open mind. I wasn’t quite as happy with it as I might normally be reading superheroes in novel format. I did not like the alternating first-person narrative between the two main characters. My other main complaint was the lack of depth in any of the characters. They seemed mostly two-dimensional, with very little to keep me emotionally attached to any of them. There were some amusing moments in the book, especially with the trials and tribulations of the villain Doctor Impossible. Unfortunately, as a long-time reader of the Justice League, I found the characters of the Champions almost exact copies of the main Justice Leaguers. CoreFire=Superman; Damsel=Wonder Woman; Blackwolf=Batman.

If you like comic books, you’ll enjoy this book (if you can keep your fanboy tendencies down). If you’re expecting strong characters that are more than just names on the page, you may be disappointed.

View all my reviews
Black and White by Jackie Kessler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

View all my reviews

I finished the first draft of STARF*CKER early this morning-like around 1 AM. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the initial output, and I’m looking forward to working on revisions in a month or two. In the meantime, I need to get cranking on the ROOFTOPS revisions, because it’s been some fifteen months since I finished the first draft on that one, and I’m feeling the pressure to hurry up and get it out into the world.

So where does that leave me as far as upcoming projects? Because I know you all wonder what irons I have in the fire, here’s a breakdown of what I am planning in the immediate and not-so-immediate future…

1. Continue working on THE OILMAN’S DAUGHTER with my phenomally-talented coauthor Allison M. Dickson. It sat for a year in hiatus but now we’re back to work on it, and we’re very excited. With some luck, we’ll have it finished by summer’s end.

2. Write one more Harry Blaine short story to accompany the existing “Bulletproof,” “Young Guns,” and “Tuesday Night at Powerman’s” and release it as part of a new collection called THE BULLETPROOF BADGE, which will reprint the other tales as well as three completely new stories. The format will be more or less the same as my other collection TALES OF THE WEIRD, WILD WEST.

3. Begin work on my next mainstream YA novel, MAKING THE CUT, about young competitors in a televised cooking challenge. This will be my spring/early summer project.

4. Later in the year, I will get back to work on CHAMPION: A JUST CAUSE NOVEL, which is the third book in the JCU series. I’m hopeful that NBB will release THE ARCHMAGE: A JUST CAUSE NOVEL later this year.

5. I haven’t yet decided upon a NaNoWriMo project, but right now I think it’s likely I will take on the sequel to PARIAH’S MOON, entitled PARIAH’S WAR.

M.H. Mead is the pen name for the authorial duo Margaret Yang and Harry Campion. Their new release, The Caline Conspiracy is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. To celebrate their new release, they’re doing a blog tour and I asked them to talk a little bit about writing as part of a team, since I’m currently working on a coauthored project with my dear friend Allison Dickson, called The Oilman’s Daughter.

5 Things You Don’t Know About Collaboration
by Margaret Yang and Harry R. Campion

We’ve been writing together for so long, we sometimes forget that not everyone shares our love of collaboration. Many author friends have told us that if they had to work with a partner, one of them wouldn’t leave the room alive. But for us, it’s not only the most natural way to write, it’s the best way.

It’s also the most misunderstood. Here are five surprising things that you might not know about collaborating.

1. You’re already doing it. If you’ve ever brainstormed, been in a critique group, used beta readers, worked with an editor, or just bounced a plotline off a pal, you have collaborated. It might not be to the extreme extent that true co-authors do it, but it’s still collaboration. Of course, you have the final say over your own book, but the fact is, an idea that originated in someone else’s brain made it onto your page. It’s really not that different for us.

2. It improves your writing. A solo author’s first draft can meander. It can have horrible grammar and spelling. It can be a complete mess that makes no sense to anyone but the author. Collaborators don’t have that luxury. We write messy rough drafts like anyone else, but we clean them up before showing them to our partners.

Something as creative as a novel can go in a million different directions. As co-authors, we have to justify each choice we make. If we say, “This paragraph deepens characterization,” or “it ups the stakes,” we’d better know what we are talking about. If we can’t back up our claim, that will be the first paragraph our co-author chops. We have to bring our A game each and every time we sit down to the computer. Our partners expect it and we owe them (and ourselves) nothing less.

3. It doesn’t cut your work in half.  Many people think that collaboration means half the work for half the money. It’s more like the exact same amount of work for half the money. However, it’s a different kind of work than the kind a solo writer does. With two people writing, the rough draft tends to get done more quickly. But collaborators do more drafts than solo writers because everything has to be consistent, not only in content but in style. It may take longer, but in many ways, it’s easier. Collaboration is like tag-team wrestling. When one of us gets stuck, the other partner jumps in and wrestles the manuscript to the ground.

4. There are many ways to collaborate. We make our outline together, take turns writing part of the rough draft, then come together again to edit. This is a common way to collaborate, but not the only way. Sometimes one person writes the whole first draft from another person’s outline. Sometimes collaborators write every single word together. Sometimes one writer works on a small portion of the book while the other writer does the rest. Sometimes three or even four people write together. If there’s a way to collaborate, you can bet that someone, somewhere, has successfully done it.

5. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have writing. Writing is lonely. There are critique groups and conferences and the internet, but there will never be another person as completely committed to your book as you are—unless you have a co-author. Sure, you have your spouse and your best friends, but those are people who love YOU, not your work. When a solo author sits down at the keyboard, it’s just him and his imagination. When collaborators work, it’s us and our imaginations and our support person and back-up brain and best cheerleader and smartest critic and probably the only person who understands each and every one of our jokes.

We wouldn’t want to write any other way.

About the authors: Margaret Yang and Harry R. Campion are the co-authors of GOOD FENCES, FATE’S MIRROR and THE CALINE CONSPIRACY all published under the shared pen name M.H. Mead. You can find out more about them and their books by visiting their website www.yangandcampion.com. You can also find them on Facebook. www.facebook.com/MHMead

From my booksigning last weekend!

The pictures were taken by my friend Court, and the video was produced by Two Filmingos Video Productions. Check out their other work – it’s a riot.

His Girl by The Budos Band

Today I’ll be at the Boulder Bookstore, signing copies of JUST CAUSE for all and sundry. I hope to have the problem of running out of inventory, because you’re all going to be there, right??? I’ll be posting pictures (and even a Very Special Video) in a follow-up post shortly.

Did you ever wonder where authors get there ideas?

Here’s where mine come from…

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Me

I had the most excellent experience of being a guest on the Creative Commoners podcast! I would love to share it with you right here, but I discovered that I have a file size upload limit, and the durn thing is just too big. Therefore, I am sending you over to the Creative Commoners page where you can listen to my dulcet tones and pithy wordplay. I promise you will be entertained. You may even have a little chuckle. Or a giggle. Please go check it out!

The Unbearable Terror of Losing Teeth

I took a break from all the Weird West material to write up this terrifying little tale about what I’ve learned is a fairly common nightmare: teeth falling out. I hope it keeps you up at night. Please enjoy! Available for the paltry sum of 99 cents on Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and eventually anywhere ebooks are sold.