IN THIS ISSUE Authors Galore!Jessica WestheadLeonardo Ramirezm.m. kinTom TaylorVictoria shockley

MUSICAL GUESTSQIET!

EISNER & INK POT AWARD- WINNING AUTHOR

Mike Baron’sskorpi0!

40 PAGESOF writing& creativeinsight!

“A FAIR DAYS WAGE”ARTICLE BY MIKE SCHNEIDER

65I S S U E

FREE PDF VERSIONJune 2013!

Don't Sell That First Issue Yet!Article By Jeff Marsick!

SELF PUBLISHER MAGAZINEOf all of the issues I have ever had the pleasure of putting out, I am most proud of this one. This one is

going to mark a new era. A coming of age. Triumph. Now, all indications are that it’s going to be a bear

to get out. Jay Savage, who has served as Art Director for the last five issues, is off this month. We’re

hoping to see him return next issue. He’s got some things to deal with and we understand that. In the

past, I have had to shut the magazine down for similar reasons, so, all my heart goes out to Jay. He’s like

a brother; I’m going to miss him as I try to emulate his page designs. Meanwhile, I’ve just gotten all the

files together and over to Ellen for edits, and gotten all the writers set with their assignments for next

issue. This includes introducing a few new writers into the mix and digging into the growing queue of

people who want to be featured in the magazine.

Last issue is only a weekend old as I write this; it came out a bit late, but turned out to be well worth

the effort, and hit a new download record in its first weekend. More people have read this issue faster

than ever before and that’s a good sign. Because this issue is really locked and loaded, and I feel that

it is going to carry on the momentum well. I have to admit I had a little bit of a fanboy reaction when

Mike Baron wrote in and asked if we would feature his self published work. I mean, besides his main-

stream work, Mike was completely involved in the whole emergence of indie comics, back when I was

just a kid making minicomics. To know that I have now made something that is seen as effective and

worthy to someone that seasoned—well, it just feels good. And then I reflect on all the other people I

have communicated with in the last two days, all of whom are in some way contributing to and involved

with SP!, and, seeing all the people who are reading the issues...it’s just humbling.

So normally, at this point, I would be heaving a sigh of relief, and getting ready to send the files off to

Jay to do the layouts. 20 years ago, I would have been spreading the typed and cut strips of paper out

all over the floor, to do the layouts. But today, I’m gonna roll up my sleeves, dig in, get my hands dirty,

and see if I can do layouts on the computer better than I ever have before. In perspective, it feels good.

The development conversations I have been having with strategic partners can wait. The software

improvements for the review section (so we can get going on reviews again), can wait. The Hall of Fame

can wait. There’s work to be done, and I plan to be proud of it.

- Ian Shires

PUBLISHER

Ian Shires

COPY EDITOR

Ellen Fleischer

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jay Savage

Published monthly by Dimestore ProductionsP.O Box 214, Madison, OH 44057All Contents (c)2012-2013 by Dimestore Pro-ductions and noted individuals. All rights revert to those individuals. Dimestore reserves the right to keep this issue in print in PDF and POD forms. First Printing, June 2013.

contents

4 Mike Baron, Sneak Peek! (cover story) An interview with Mike Baron by Louise Cochran-Mason.

10 A Written View (Writing)By Douglas Owen.

12 Jeff Marsick (Don’t sell that first issue yet!)An Article by Jeff Marsick .

14 Jessica WestheadAn interview with Jessica Westhead, by Katrina Joyner.

16 Liquid, Sneak Peek! Sneak Peek!

20 Leonardo RamirezAn interview with Leanorda Ramirez (Author), By Katrina Joyner.

24 Mike SchniederAn article by Mike Schnieder.

27 M.M. Kin From fertile soil!An interview with M.M Kin (Author) by Ellen Fleischer.

29 20 Questions with Qiet.An interview with James Maddox, Alasha Al-Qudwah, Christopher Harris, Jason Myer, and Mike

Waldeck Jr by john Wilson.

32 Tom Taylor (Brock’s Traitor).An interview with Tom Taylor (Author) by Douglas Owen.

34 Victoria Shockley (Appetite for redaction)An interview with Victoria Shockley (Editor) by Ellen Fleischer.

38 Tarnished, Sneak Peek! The Golden Age never looked so dark!!

40 Donna Barr (The 2nd annual Clallam Bay comicon) An article by Jennifer “Scraps” Walker.

S E L F P U B L I S H E R M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 3 3

Join the Self Publisher forums at: www.selfpubmag.com

Mike Baron has been a professional writer since the early 1980s. After graduating from The University of Wisconsin with a BA in political science while working in insurance, Mike Baron met Steve Rude through an editor who was a mutual friend. They began creating comics together. Their superhero series, Nexus, helped bring Baron to the attention of many publishers.

He has written over 200 comics. A few examples are:

Capitol DCCapitolPacificKitchen Sink PressDC Head PressFirst MarvelMarvel DC

First ImageFirst Image

DC

DC Big Head PressDC IDW

Rude Dude ProductionsMarvel The 3rd World StudiosDC ImageMarvel Moonstone

1981-1982 Nexus #1-3 (magazine, limited series) 1993 Green Lantern Corps Quarterly #6 1983-1984 Badger #1-4 1994 Magnus: Robot Fighter/Nexus #1-2 (limited series) Valiant 1983-1984 Vanguard Illustrated #1-5 1994 Turok Dinosaur Hunter Yearbook (one-shot) Valiant 1985 Death Rattle #4-5, 10, 14 1995 Star Wars X-Wing: Rogue Squadron #1-4 Darkhorse1985 Green Lantern #187 1998 No Justice, No Piece #2 1985 Grimjack #6 1998 Strange Tales, Dark Corners #11985 Heroes For Hope Starring The X-Men (one-shot) 2002 Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #154-155 1985-1988 Robotech: Masters #1-23 Comico 2004 The Escapist #2 Darkhorse1985-1991 Badger #5-70 2004-2005 Detonator #1-4 (limited series) 1985-1991 Nexus #7-80 2005-2006 The Night Club #1-4 (limited series) 1986 Anything Goes! (limited series) Fantagraphics Press 2007 Justice League Unlimited #301986 Robotech (graphic novel) Comico 2007 Negative Burn #12 Caliber1987 Teen Titans Spotlight #7-8 2007 The Architect (graphic novel) 1988 Batman Annual #12 2007-2008 Badger Saves The World #1-5 (limited series) 1988 Drunken Fist #1-2 Jademan 2007-2009 Nexus: Space Opera #1-3 1989 What If? #83 2008 Space Doubles (graphic novel) 1990-1991 Ms. Tree Quarterly Special #0-3 2009 Outlaw Territory (graphic novel) 1991 The Punisher War Journal #26-36 2010 The Phantom: Generations #9

His prose work includes Witchblade: Demons (Ibooks) and the majority of his recent works are also novels. He has won Eisner and Inkpot awards. He has mainly worked with publishers in the past, but is now self-publishing.

Mike talked to SP! about his career, the comic book industry, and his latest novels, Biker, Whack Job and Helmet Head.

SP!: What is Helmet Head about?

MB: Nazi biker zombies. The filmmaker Ian Fischer (Rude Dude/Superhero Nation) and I were brainstorming a horror film that would have some substance. I saw an illustration in a cycle mag of a rider dressed entirely in black leather wearing a full-face helmet. That was my inspiration, along with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I’ve been a biker all my life and I know some crazy stories. I decided to create my own. Helmet Head is a rumor to the one-percenters, spoken

of late at night around the campfire. New cop Pete Fagan has heard the rumors but doesn’t believe them, until one terrible night when tornadoes sweep through Little Egypt (Southern Illinois) and Helmet Head emerges to carry on his vendetta. It’s a grim, violent story, peopled with truly mem-orable characters, some of whom are based on friends of mine . This was my first self-published book. So far, it has received 18 reviews averaging 5 stars.

SP!: What is Whack Job about?

Mike Baron by Louise Cochran-Mason

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MB: Spontaneous human combustion. It’s a thriller based on the premise that terrorists have found a way to make people burst into flame. The government is desperate to keep these immolations secret to prevent mass panic. The President calls in a retired agent with a history of mental problems. Otto “Aardvark” White got his nickname eating ants to survive in the Libyan desert. We first meet him on a doomed mission to assassinate Moammar Khaddafi. Pete’s old flame, Stella Darling, coaxes him back to work, along with his dog Steve. The reader isn’t certain whether Steve is an actual work dog or if Otto just insists he come along until well into the book. This is as close as I have ever come to writing a science fiction novel and when you get to the phase shifter about halfway through, your head will explode and you’ll understand why it’s science fiction.

SP!: What is Biker about?

MB: “Josh is the BIKER, caught up in a race for survival against a human monster on the road between heaven and hell at the end of which lies either salvation or damnation. Baron spins a tale of unrelenting suspense and horror that moves across his narrative landscape like the roar of a chopper’s engine. Creating memorable characters and authentic backgrounds, this is an amazing, quality crime thriller unlike anything you’ve ever read before. The man who shook up the comic industry with his revolutionary stories now turns his limitless imagi-nation to the world of crime fiction and the result will blow you away.” So sayeth my publisher, Airship 27.

SP!: Why did you choose to self publish Helmet Head and Whack Job?

MB: I beat my head against the walls of regular publish-ing for many years. It was rare I even got a rejection letter. I finally decided, what the hell I’m not getting any younger, and thanks to the internet and Amazon, I could at least get my fiction out there before the public, no matter how minus-cule. The challenge now is to spread the word. Every day, I hear about a new method to self-publicize, often from self-published authors.

SP!: Would you like to write more comics in the future or are you focusing on prose?

MB: I love comics and will always do them. I’m grateful that my characters, Nexus and Badger, survive. Nexus appears monthly in Dark Horse Presents and First will issue a new Badger in September.

SP!: You’ve worked with a range of publishers over the years (Marvel, DC, DarkHorse, First, Valiant, Airship 27, Kitchen Sink Press, Big Head Press, Capital, etc...).

What are the main differences between working for one of the Big 4, indie publishers, and small press publishers?

MB: Well, of course, the big publishers pay you upon deliv-ery of the work. In self-publishing there’s no advance, no advertising budget, and I have to buy my own copies, but at least Airship 27 promotes me to the pulp crowd.

SP!: The comics industry has changed a lot since you started out. Do you think it is harder to make a living out of comics now, easier, or the same?

MB: It all depends on who you know. A number of writers and illustrators are making a very good living from big publishers, handling multi-titles and getting paid well. As for tyros, it’s harder to break in right now. Both Marvel and DC are much pickier about whom they employ, due to the success of their movie franchises. Now it’s not just the comic crowd paying attention, it’s the whole world. They are all about the branding. For those seeking to break in, the best way is still to create your own comic. Now with the internet, you don’t even have to pay for publishing. You just put it up there and try to build audience. But comics were meant to be read on paper and the paper product will always be with us.

SP!: When I was researching this interview, I found an interview you did in 1999 where you talked about

the collapse of the market collapse of the direct distri-bution system, collapse of Kitchen Sink, et al. The rise of video games, rise of post-literate society… How do you think the industry has changed since then?

MB: Diamond, the sole distributor, is very picky about what they will distribute. Thus, it’s harder for an indepen-dent publisher to gain serious distribution. Brick-and-mortar stores are struggling—the more successful have diversified into games and toys. As for literacy, I don’t think this affects comics. Comic readers are literate. Video games have done huge damage to the comic market by siphoning off young people who would rather partici-pate in the game than absorb a story. Video games make them part of the story. I understand the appeal. Now the tail wags the dog—video game companies are creating comics about their games.

SP!: What effect has advancing technology had on the industry?

MB: As a creator, it’s made it much easier to submit

S E L F P U B L I S H E R M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 3 5

material. We used to send everything FedEx and the pub-lisher would absorb that cost. Now you just push a button. Computer illustration, where the artist never actually touches pen or paper (they use a stylus on a screen) has liberated a number of artists from roadblocks. I don’t know why, but I’ve seen several artists change from ugly ducklings into beautiful swans by using the new technology. Perhaps it’s because they know how easy it is to correct a mistake that has freed their line. On the other hand, video games are hurting comic sales.

SP!: Do you think the internet has made it easier for people to self-publish, and distribute their self-published work?

MB: Easier. The internet is everything. I couldn’t have self-published without Amazon.

SP!: Do you think the number of self-pub-lished comics, print-on-demand comics, digital comics, and web comics makes it easier or more dif-ficult for individual creators to promote and market their work?

MB: More difficult because the internet is chaos, with literally millions of sites fight-ing for your attention. How does the individ-ual stand out from the crowd? It’s a constant struggle. However, it’s also made it easier. No longer does the self-publisher have to contend with print-ers and printing costs. You put it up there and see who bites. If it’s successful, chances are a publisher will offer to put out a print version, as Dark Horse did with Mike Norton’s Battlepug. Here’s a battleplug for Battlepug: www.battle-pug.com

SP!: How important do you think it is for creators

to have their work in brick-and-mortar comic book shops as well as online?

MB: For me, it’s very important. I’m at a gathering. People want to know what I do. I hand them a comic. Otherwise you can whip out your laptop and dial it up, but there’s some-thing about a real comic that confers legitimacy. Now that brick-and-mortar book stores are collapsing, perhaps it will drive people into comic stores, if they can hang on. There’s something about a wall of comics that no screen image can

match. It’s exciting.

SP!: Do you do a lot of signings and appear-ances? Are you plan-ning to go to any con-ventions this year?

MB: I will be at the Denver Comic Con May 31–June 2, and at the Albuquerque Comic Con June 21–23.

SP!: Did you learn a lot about marketing and promotion from the various publishers you worked with?

MB: I learn something new every day. Most of what I know I picked up outside of the publishers. Beau Smith has an excellent book: No Guts No Glory: How To Market Yourself in Comics.

SP!: You have done work-for-hire and cre-ator-owned books, been published and self-published. Do you have a preference?

MB: I love my own children the best. Hope to be writing Nexus and Badger for a long time. However, there are a number of company-owned characters whom I wouldn’t mind revisiting. The Punisher. Master of Kung Fu. Charles Barkley.

SP!: You have written prose novels and comic book scripts. Do you find it challenging to move between

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the two disciplines?

MB: I struggled to write novels for many years. Comics were always easy. About two years ago, all the pieces fell into place and I realized I had the powa. Now I’m unstop-pable. A number of writers have helped me along the way. There’s no challenge moving between comics and novels, but they are entirely different disciplines.

SP!: You started out as an artist, as well as a writer? “Mike Baron broke into comics with an illustrated text piece in the 1974 debut issue of Marvel Comics…”

MB: No! I didn’t illustrate that text! Denis Kitchen did! I believe that was a story I wrote on Park water pistols, for which Kitchen Sink provided illustrations. Then Marvel worked out a distribution deal with Denis--they wanted to dip a toe in the underground market. I did try to draw for years and worked my way up to a bad amateur level. But it’s good enough to convey my ideas.

SP!: Do you still contribute art to your comics sometimes?

MB: Only when I must. I write complete scripts that are easy to understand and contain all the visuals.

SP!: When you first started out, was it difficult to get publishers to look at your work?

MB: No, we were lucky. When Dude and I started working together, Capital City Distribution, then the second-larg-est distributor in the world, decided to publish their own comics.

SP!: Did the publishers approach/head-hunt you to work for them based on your published works or did you apply to them?

MB: After Nexus came out, I started getting calls. Carl Potts asked me to write Punisher. Andy Helfter asked me to write Atari Force. Once you get a little momentum, everybody wants you.

SP!: Are there any past projects you’d like to revisit in the future?

MB: Seriously considering a Ginger Fox reboot and have already written a sequel (sort-of ) to Sonic Disruptors. Am working with a terrific artist on this, Mike Kilgore, and we have an online publisher. Should have more details soon.

SP!: What future projects have you got in the works?

MB: My head is filled with novels. Working on Skorpio--a horror novel about a ghost who only appears under a blazing sun. This one will freak you out. Making notes on a haunted house story. I have a Biker sequel in the works and after that, plans for a big historical novel.

SP!: What are your hobbies?

MB: I train in karate, have for thirty years. You meet out-standing people in karate. I am a motorcyclist and have been all my life. Love to ride around Colorado, although I prefer riding around Wisconsin. And, of course, I love movies and books.

Check out more of Mike’s work at:

http://www.bloodyredbaron.net/

h t t p : / / w w w. a m a z o n . c o m / H e l m e t - H e a d - M i k e - B a r o n /dp/1480287180/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365515992&sr=8-1&keywords=helmet+head+mike+baron

http://www.amazon.com/Whack-Job-Mike-Baron/dp/1481843427/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1

http://www.amazon.com/Biker-Mike-Baron/dp/061578545X/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_2

S E L F P U B L I S H E R M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 3 7

CHAPTER TWO: “Groovin’”

They splurged and spent the night at Vern’s Motel, $29 for the double. They showered in the morning. They began to sweat as soon as they stepped outside. By eight a.m. it was already in the eighties.

Curt conducted an inspection of his beloved micro-bus which he had bought from a used car dealer in Midlothian, IL, six thousand miles ago for $1500. It only had 88,000 miles on the clock, a relative youngster. Curt pulled out the old metal toolbox and removed the air gauge. He worked his way around the car with a hand pump making sure the tires were inflated to 33 lbs. per square inch. He’d studied the USGA plat maps and deter-mined there were enough old mining trails laid out on the rock hard sand that they should be able to drive a couple hundred miles without difficulty. Tread was good. He’d brought a sturdy jack, two spares and shovels.

He opened the side passenger door with a skin-rippling screech. A little WD-40 was in order. He removed the blue can from his tool box, attached the short straw, and spritzed the running tracks and hinges. He worked the door back and forth. Ahhh. Better. Inside he had extra air and oil filters just in case. Two five gallon picnic thermoses. Curt used his plastic ice bucket from the room to deliver loads of ice from the outside ice machine to each of the thermoses. He used the bathtub faucet to fill four half gallon canteens swathed in canvas he’d pur-chased at an army surplus store.

He checked his copious supply of dehydrated meals, cheese and cold cuts in an ice chest that was half melt-ed. He would have liked to replenish the ice but the old machine had barely filled the two buckets before grinding to a halt. Ronnie emerged from the room into bright morning light bare-chested and toweling off his mop of au-burn hair. Catnip. Catnip to the girls. Curt had always envied Ronnie’s easy way with women but Ronnie wasn’t stuck-up or greedy and Curt did all right on the leftovers.

He’d been Ronnie’s wingman since freshman year.

Ronnie placed his hand over his eyes and squinted east into the sun looking past Vern’s Hardware at the distant hazy mountains. The landscape was unrelieved by plant or water. Nothing stirred, nothing moved except for a pair of turkey buzzards hovering in the middle distance. He smacked his hands together and inhaled.

“Smell that desert air!” He looked up and down Main Street. “Jesus. They never heard of McDonald’s?”

“We’ll eat on the road. Come on. I want to find some shade before we stop for the night.”

The VW’s 20 gallon gas tank had a range of 350 miles. Curt also carried two steel five gallon gas tanks on the roof next to their camping gear. They’d topped off when they hit town last night. They did not plan to roam the plateau, but rather to seek out an interesting site and camp there. It was Ronnie’s idea. It was he who first came across the Azuma in an obscure conquistador’s diary in Seville, when he and Curt had back-packed across Europe the previous summer.

He’d been studying maps of the area and Anasazi texts the whole semester and thought he had the site nar-rowed down to a ten square mile area. The Spanish breached the Azuma stronghold in 1542. Ronnie had a thou-sand dollar Nikon his parents gave him for his birthday and had been putting in long hours at the dark room in the Student Union. Dreams of National Geographic danced in his head.

Aside from fantasies of fame and riches which every young man possessed he was driven by a burning

Mike Baron’s Skorpio!

http://www.bloodyredbaron.net/8 S E L F P U B L I S H E R M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 3

desire to know. Ronnie had been hooked when is parents took him to Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park when he was twelve years old.

The sight of the ancient cliff dwellings enraptured him. A deep bell rang in his heart. As a boy he had always played the Indian in cowboys and Indians. Between high school and college he’d spent a summer volunteering on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The Indians he met were not the Indians of his imagination. The Pine Ridge Indians seemed enervated, passive and inured to subsistence living. They drank and did drugs. They were a sharp contrast to the warriors of his imagination and perhaps it was this desire to uncover those warriors of old that drove him.

For Curt, it was all about dropping acid in the desert. He’d always had that mystic bent. His drawings were getting spacier.

They saddled up and headed out, the microbus making its characteristic grinding noise. Five miles out of town on County Highway BB the pavement ended and they rode on the hard flat surface of the desert consisting of silicon, crushed pyrites, sand and gravel. Vegetation was sparse and hardy. It had been a dry year and the desert stretched before them sere and forbidding.

Curt plugged the Kinks into the 8-track and cranked it to drown out the engine noise, which sounded like a ce-ment mixer filled with metal. “You Really Got Me.” They rode without speaking, each lost in thought, chewing beef jerky, sunflower seeds and quaffing water. The old microbus had no air conditioning and they rode with the windows open. It was like sitting near a blast furnace. The air was sweet and dry with a hint of mesquite.

Ronnie rolled a joint on a copy of Rolling Stone and they lit up. Suddenly they were loquacious.

“This is gonna be so cool,” Curt said.

“What about rattlesnakes, man?” Ronnie said. “We got to be wary of those suckers.”

“Just watch where you step. We’ll sleep in the bus. Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“And scorpions. You heard what the man said.”

“Scorpions are generally afraid of humans and their bites are rarely fatal.”

“They give me the creeps,” Ronnie said, turning around and digging through his backpack for the snakebite kit he’d purchased at a sporting goods shop in Denver.

Within an hour they’d left all traces of civilization behind save for the ruts and grooves of the road itself. The microbus jounced across broad stretches of washtub surface. Ronnie pulled out his Zeiss binocs and sighted in on the distant mountains. He thought he saw a communications tower but he couldn’t be sure. The distance was clouded in heat haze.

The Kinks finished with “Sunny Afternoon.” Ronnie popped them out and replaced them with New Riders of the Purple Sage.

It was just past noon. When they saw the old woman.

Mike Baron’s Skorpio!

http://www.bloodyredbaron.net/ http://www.bloodyredbaron.net/ S E L F P U B L I S H E R M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 3 9

A Written ViewBY DOUGLAS OWEN

SUCCESSFUL WRITING

It’s amazing how many people have a misconception about writing, believing there is some special formula. They sit down and put together something they believe others will flock to the book store to purchase.

After writing the prose, they find someone to act as an editor, though the so-called editor really only knows how to read and point out small issues with the work. So, after a quick read, a few scratched notes, and some well-placed words, the editor moves off with some money and the writer smiles, creates a cover and posts the work. With luck, maybe a few of his friends purchase copies, read it, and say some nice things about the writing.

So, what do we take away from this lesson? There is no real shortcut to creating a book.

For the next few columns, we will go through the process of writing, from start to finish. After we have broken past the start, our path will take us toward hiring professionals to polish and prepare your manuscript for the public. The last part of the series will center on marketing, and getting your work in front of your readers.

How long will this take? Well, it will depend on how much springs to my mind during the writing.

Now buckle up and get ready for a ride through the wonder-ful world of self-publishing.

PART 1 – WRITING

Every writer starts by deciding they want to write, and what they want to write about. My friend, Tom Taylor, starts with an outline of his novel, writing key parts before he tackles the main part of writing. Another friend of mine, Mel Cober, flies

by the seat of her pants and just writes, letting her story unfold before her. Jennifer, in my writing group, has her plot outlined, what happens in her chapter, and all her characters in place before she writes. Mike, a new writer, does what he calls “Mind Mapping” each section, and writes a few parts here and there, before typing it out.

Each method is valid, and works for some people. Myself, I have the plot line, characters, and end in mind, but I only write out the characters to start. From there, I outline the first chapter, or create a story for the intro, which may or may not be used. Then I write the outline of the chapter and then the prose. Will this work for you? Maybe, maybe not. It is my method and it works for me.

Remember, your story needs the following:

1. Characters

2. Location

3. Protagonist

4. Antagonist

5. Confrontation

6. Buildup

7. Climax

8. Anti-Climax

9. Conclusion

SO NOW YOU START.

Plan your moves carefully, and get ready to write. When I say “get ready to write,” I mean put time aside for it. If you write in the morning, through the day, at night, you need to put aside the time to create your masterpiece. Remove obstacles from your path, and move forward.

I know my friend Tom will cringe at the next little part I am about to write, so let me give you his advice first:

Turn the TV off!

Was that hard or what? He used a story about a friend of his who kept complaining that he was having a hard time writing a chapter. Tom realized what was happening (he is a very intelli-gent man). He asked his friend if the man liked the hockey game the night before. The friend replied yes, and started to ask Tom

1 0 S E L F P U B L I S H E R M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 3

how he liked it. Tom answered “I did not watch it, I was writing.”

From his words flows a fountain of wisdom: take away the dis-tractions. Does this work for everyone, though? Not at all. In fact, I find it extremely difficult to write without something happen-ing in the background.

Let me explain. When I wrote “A Spear in Flight,” which is going through test reading right now, I did it at work, watching TV, and generally, whenever I could. I finished 76,000 words in just under 30 days (NaNoWriMo, for those who didn’t guess it). I wrote the first 500 words of this column while watching The Dick Van Dyke Show; I am on Season One. Does it take away from my writing?

Not really; it allows my brain to slow down as I type. One day, I will be able to type as fast as I think, then I will have a lot of novels on the shelf.

It is all about what fits for you. If you find your mind wandering and the page still blank after an hour, then do something about it. Change what you have been doing and put yourself in a different type of atmosphere. Take a leap of faith and if the TV is on when you are writing, turn it off. If it is off, turn it on, or try something else in that vein.

I guess that what I am trying to tell you is to find what works for you; there is no cookie cutter approach to writing. What works for other people may not necessarily work for you.

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Let’s say you’ve come up with a concept that would look amazing as a comic book, and wouldn’t be just a one-shot deal, either. It would be an ongoing series, parsed into trade-paper-back-ready arcs of four-to-six-issue storylines and you have full plans to self-publish it, keeping all of the profits (and costs) to yourself.

You spend days, weeks, or maybe even months outlining the entire first arc, then writing a script for that first issue. A comic script without art is merely a pamphlet, so you trawl the internet waters, not just for someone whose style is a good fit for the feel of the book, but someone whose price tag doesn’t require black marketeer-ing an organ or giving up a firstborn. You might also need a letterer and/or a colorist, so you throw your line out and see what you can catch.

Once the team is assembled, you hand off your script and wait for the magic to happen. Odds are high that this work of independent art isn’t your day job and while your artistic team may be graphic artists from nine-to-five, this is some-thing of a side-hobby for them as well, so what might take a full-timer a month to create is, in reality, more likely to take three or four times that long.

Then, it happens. After weeks of back-and-forth-ing roughs, then light pencils, then inked and fin-ished art, then colors, then lettering, you finally

find yourself looking at a PDF of your vision come to paper in glorious panel-by-panel pacing. Exuberantly, you fire that baby off to a printer and, after another month, a package arrives on your doorstep. Frenzied, like a Labrador in a tennis ball factory, you tear the box open and there they are: your first (fill in number here) copies of Greatest Comic Book Ever #1.

Thoughts of boothing at San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic-Con, and other big events suddenly enter your brain. Since you’re basically a nobody, you know you’re going to have to carry out a grass-roots campaign at every comic shop within three states to see if they’ll maybe entertain the idea of carrying your book. There’s also tweeting and Facebooking and Pinteresting, oh my! What should you do first in order to get the word out about your comic, so that you can start raking in all those tens of dollars in profit?

Nothing.

That’s right, I said it. Do. Nothing. “But wait,” you say. “Did you skip the part about how I have an actual comic book now? It’s not a hare-brained scheme anymore, it’s an actual thing. Right here, in my hand with a glossy, thick-stock cover and colors that leap off

the page. See?”

Awesome. Congratulations. Now put it away, assemble your team and get to work on issue two, then three, then four and five. And don’t even think about selling the first copy of that first issue (friends and family excluded, of course) until you have at least three issues of a five-issue series either printer-ready or sitting in a box begging to be tabled at a convention.

Why? Simple. Self-publishers and indie comics achieve lift-off from momentum. That first issue could be the most amazing storytelling since Lee met Kirby, so you may generate buzz and you’ll build a follow-ing. Which is terrific, because then those initial reviewers and review readers will tell two friends and they’ll tell two friends and so on and so on. There’ll be a clamor-ing for issue two. But when that second issue doesn’t come out a month later like “normal” comic books do, or even two months later as it’s accepted for the self-published, then your momentum falls to zero and your book runs a great chance of being forgotten. Which is terrible, because a forgotten book not only doesn’t gener-ate any sales but, even worse, requires sub-stantial marketing effort from future issues just to get back into someone’s memory.

Jeff Marsick Don’t Sell That First Issue Yet!

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And if you have dreams of someday being an independent book listed in the Previews catalog, that Holy Grail of comic book dis-tribution through Diamond, forget about it if your series can’t come out regularly. They won’t carry you. Nor will comic book stores, if they can’t guarantee customers a timely pub-lication date.

Switch places with your customer: if Even Better Than Batman #1 came out and #2 didn’t land for another four months, and then #3 only landed six months after that, how likely would you be to just write the series off and hope that maybe the creators Kickstart a trade collection of all the issues (a subject for a different column: “Trade Or Not To Trade”)? Furthermore, think of all the times a major publisher ran into delays and a series started out, and then completed a year (or several years) later than planned. It just didn’t have the same feel, right?

As a self-publisher of three comic books, where each one has a solid and growing fan base, the one question I hear all the time and more than any other is “when’s the next issue coming out?” For some, knowing they have to wait three months for the next one is a sales killer. They simply walk away. For one book, when my artist took a leave so that he could attend the School for Visual Arts, it was pretty much a death sentence, and we’ll have to start from scratch when the project restarts.

Now obviously, if you’re doing a one-off or sin-gle-issue story, this little lesson doesn’t apply. But the biggest regret I have as a self-publisher is not being able to capitalize on momentum by not having books “in the can” for a regular spread of distribution before I started selling that first issue.

Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned? Plan ahead before jumping the gun and selling your first comic book issue.

Jeff Marsick is screenwriter, novelist, and the co-creator/writer of three indepen-dently-published comic books: Z-Girl and the 4 Tigers (www.ZGirl.org), Dead Man’s Party (www.DeadMansParty.org), and Wendover (www.WendoverProject.com).

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February; a writers’ community meeting. You wouldn’t think the seemingly nervous young author was ready to read her work to the audience waiting patiently in their seats. But as the moment grew closer, Jessica’s nervousness melted away, and she did her delivery with a professional flare I myself would envy on a calm day. But who was that silver-tongued story-teller? She was Jessica Westhead, one of the “10 Canadian women writers you need to read now,” according to CBC Books.

She had always wanted to be a writer, ever since she was a child. On her old typewriter, she wrote stories and plays and created mock newspapers modelled after The National Enquirer. “It made them feel ‘official,” she says, when talking about those early days.

“I’m very fortunate that my entire family is very supportive and encouraging of my writing life,” she goes on. “My baby daugh-ter has even been to two of my readings already! She fell asleep during both, but I took that as a sign of approval.”

When asked about life influences outside of The National Enquirer, she responded, “Joy Williams’ short story collection Honored Guest amazed the hell out of me. I read it as I was fin-ishing up And Also Sharks, and it showed me a way of writing that just really clicked for me. It’s hilarious and weird and sad, and deceptively simple—so much is going on beneath the surface of her everyday situations.”

She also loves reading short stories by George Saunders, who is another big influence on her writing. “Some of my favou-rite Canadian writers are Heather Birrell, Lynn Coady, Andrew Pyper, Stuart Ross, and Russell Smith. My favourite Americans are Lorrie Moore, George Saunders, and Joy Williams.” An inter-esting line-up.

Whatever the influences, she’s given the world And Also Sharks, the book that CBC Books called “the best book title we’ve heard in a long time.” It’s a collection of short stories touching on misfits in society, their habit-like mistakes and their short-sighted inability to break away from those ruts. It’s been called “fresh” and “funny,” and it may even connect to the weirdo in all of us.

And Also Sharks became one of Kobo’s Best ebooks of 2011. “That news made me grin quite widely!” Jessica says. Grin like a shark? Maybe not—but definitely grinning with delight. And who wouldn’t be, with such good news?

Is there a secret to her success? If so, maybe it’s the pace and the ease of her dialogue. Many a famous writer has struggled with this obstacle. According to Jessica, it’s a labour of love.

“Dialogue has always been one of my favourite things to write,” she states. She advises budding authors to “eavesdrop, which is something that comes naturally to us curious writer-types. Bring a notebook and pen with you and just sit and listen to random people talking (but don’t let them see you transcribing what they’re saying!). Pay attention to the pauses, the truncated sentences, the um’s and ah’s, and especially, the way people talk around a subject—rarely do we come out and say exactly how we’re feeling. I espe-cially love inferring what’s going on from what’s not being said.”

She adds that one should attend other writers’ readings and book launches. In other words, a writer needs to imagine a world beyond their personal bubble and become familiar with it. “Read, read, read,” she emphasizes. “Get some peer writers together in a writing group, meet regularly to critique each other’s new work, and encourage and learn from each other. Help to thicken your skin by treating your writing like a business (not while you’re writing, of course, but when you have something ready to submit)—for instance, keep a

Jessica WestheadAn interview of Jessica Westhead by Katrina Joyner.

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record of where and when you send something for publication (and the result).”

And also, “Be kind to yourself, and to your fellow writers.”

Her advice ends with, “Write for yourself first—when you’re begin-ning something new, don’t worry about how it will be received by an audience. Get as much down as possible before you even start to think about editing or revising.”

Good dialogue isn’t the only secret to an excellent tale. Perhaps, you might think, another secret to her success is in her settings. When asked what inspires her to choose a location or area of happenstance, she says, “It’s funny, but I can’t say that setting plays a particularly important role in my work. It’s more incidental. Certainly, the office was the only place where I could set Pulpy & Midge, but in general I’m more interested in situations—and characters—than locations.”

Pulpy & Midge is her novel (also available as an audiobook). Labelled ‘hilariously deadpan,’ it’s a convoluted look at office politics, office drama, and most definitely, associated humour. It’s an inspired look at 9 to 5.

Jessica has this to say about her inspiration, “I used to work as a recep-tionist at a company that treated its employees very badly, which resulted in a really poisonous workplace. I started getting interested in the ways that co-workers could be mean to each other. I was also amazed at how people would say all sorts of things right in front of me, as if I wasn’t there. I loved that (once I got over being offended by it), because it meant that my desk was the perfect front-row seat for all the action.”

If you have ever worked in—or even managed to survive—an office environment, you can see what she means. The beauty about reading a book like Pulpy & Midge is that you can have a front-row seat without getting fired.

In July, Jessica’s newest work, The Lesson, hit the virtual shelves for eager reader consumption. The main character? A bitter wedding DJ. The scene? A wedding, of course. The problem? His fragile ego is getting bruised by his own imagination.

“I’ve enjoyed working with Found Press immensely,” she says, when asked about it. “The editors there are smart, fun people. And it’s been an interesting experience to publish a story solely in a digital format—Found Press publishes only electronically.”

Of her agent, she says, “I’m delighted to be with Sam Hiyate of The Rights Factory. I’ve been with him since 2005, well before my first book was published. I met Sam through a friend when he was start-ing his agency. He read an early draft of Pulpy & Midge and told me he couldn’t sell it as it was, but he’d help me develop it and then re-read the new draft and see how he felt then. When he read the

revised version, he decided to take me on as a client.”

Maybe The Lesson is only available electronically, but it appears to have been just as well received as And Also Sharks. One reviewer calls it both hilarious and sad.

She also stopped with The Lesson. Go to her website and you’ll find she’s also a creator of mini-zines, those bastions of self-publishing made from folded paper and (usually) a copier. Her zines are excel-lently unique in that they’re made from grocery store flyers. Her website reads, “I have a fondness for grocery-store flyers. And not because of their money-saving potential, but because of their pic-tures. There’s something compelling for me about these unglam-orous photos of glistening raw-meal piles (with garnish), bulbous yams, sturdy pastries, and quivering shrimp rings.

“Over the years, I’ve used lots of these glossy and non-glossy images to decorate my cut-and-pasted mini-zines, made out of tiny, self-contained stories or excerpts of longer pieces. I’d either hawk or exchange these little zines at small-press fairs, or use them to adver-tise readings I was doing.”

Where will this talent be headed in the future? “I’m working on a new short story collection with stories that feel darker and creep-ier than the ones in And Also Sharks—but I’m still having fun with them.” Her prose is marching on.

BIO:

Jessica Westhead’s fiction has appeared in major literary journals in Canada and the U.S., including Geist, The New Quarterly, and Indiana Review. Her first novel, Pulpy & Midge, was published by Coach House Books in 2007. Her short story collection, And Also Sharks (Cormorant Books, 2011), was a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book and a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Short Fiction Prize. In 2012, CBC Books named her one of the “10 Canadian women writers you need to read now.”

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Leonardo Ramirez is a Science Fiction and Fantasy author. His first joy comes from being a husband and a dad and enjoying life with his family. Every Saturday morning, it’s his turn to make breakfast with bacon, blueberry pancakes, and cheese eggs on the menu.

There’s nothing better in this world for him than spending time with family.

His work was deemed one of the top ten best new releases for 2010 by Gelati’s Scoop and has been featured on the Comics About Girls…by a Girl podcast. Lenny’s work includes a graphic novel titled Haven, as well as the steampunk children’s series, The Jupiter Chronicles, and the upcoming prose novel, Haven of Dante. His favorite coffee is Americano.

SP!: I’ve looked at your website and noticed that you seem to touch on three main genres. Not only do you do steam-punk, you also touch on fantasy, while dealing in children’s literature. Of these, which was your first love—steampunk or fantasy?

LR: I would say science fiction is my absolute first love. I grew up reading Heinlein, Asimov and some CS Lewis. That last author is probably why I dip my feet into fantasy. The aspect of steampunk that I find allur-ing is that it is relatively new. I wondered at one point whether or not I was born in the wrong decade, because I wanted to be among the pioneers of a genre, as Asimov was. With Jupiter Chronicles, I can at least pretend that I’m among the first to write about how steampunk technology arrived on Earth.

SP!: What do you mean by Steampunk being relatively new? Is there a difference between today’s idea of Steampunk versus The Wild Wild West (the 60s series), the Young Indiana Jones series, and 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea? What makes the distinction?

LR: By saying that steampunk is relatively new, I by no means want to take away from its precursors. The term “steampunk” did not appear until 1987, as a phrase invented by author K.W. Jeter. Aside from his works of fiction, steampunk’s primary focus still seems to be on fashion, style, and machinery with limited works of fiction being popular. There have been other works that have followed, but what I aim to do is to give it an origin, continue to strengthen it as its own genre, and bring a new awareness to it. A lot of folks I talk to still have no idea what steampunk is. And those who do are preoccupied with the fashion aspect of it. While recognizing those that have come before me, my hope is to humbly help to shape it and put it on the path toward the recognition it deserves.

SP!: Isn’t that what writing is all about: being imagina-tive? So, what sort of things do you do to get your cre-ative juices flowing?

LR: You hit the nail on the head. Writing is about daydreaming. What always helps me get the creative train rolling is music! I used everything from hard rock to Purcell’s Funeral for Queen Mary for Haven. For Jupiter Chronicles, I played the soundtrack to [J.J.] Abrams’ Star Trek quite often. If you go back and listen while you read, you’ll see the influence.

SP!: As a creative pioneer, in what sort ways do you try to stretch your work into new territory?

LR: I do this by delving deep into some of the relational ills that plague us today, such as growing up in a single-parent family or assault. With respect to the genre itself, I took Steampunk and com-bined it with space travel, so that we wouldn’t be confined to Earth. I know that John Carter travelled to Mars, but he didn’t get there on a Jovian Skyrocket.

SP!: And why children’s literature, may I ask? Most people tend to want to write gritty, hardcore adult stories, involv-ing lots of explosions, blood, and sexy women, but you have taken a more refreshing side of the field.

LR: First of all, I’m a kid at heart and always will be. And even though there are a lot of explosions in my books, I have absolutely zero interest in portraying women as sex objects instead of strong, think-ing, and real women. I have a daughter who I think of when I write female characters, so I always ask myself if the image of this char-acter is one that my daughter would stick on her wall as a poster and feel inspired. So, if the character is the protagonist, then the

LEONARDO RAMIREZAn interview by Katrina Joyner.

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answer must always be yes. I write all of my female characters as if I was writing for my daughter, because I want her to always believe that she can conquer anything that she sets her mind to. Additionally, my wife was assaulted at gunpoint many years ago, so I also want to speak to the women that have gone through a similar horror and empower them to make good choices for themselves that will make life better. Too many times, folks go through horrific things and slowly degrade for the rest of their lives. It doesn’t have to be that way.

SP!: I think these are very inspired motives for making strong female characters. Have you actually drawn from your daugh-ter’s and wife’s experiences by adding them into your story? Sort of a slice of real life?

LR: Absolutely! I pulled from my wife’s experience to give Haven a reason to survive. Although my daughter will hopefully never expe-rience the same thing, I still want her to see that there’s nothing she can’t overcome.

SP!: How about you tell me a little bit about your team?

LR: I met Stacey Aragon back when Haven was first released in 2010. She was part of the team that headed up Facebook Comic Con and she invited me to do a live interview session, which was a blast. She helped grow that group up to 5K members and it’s still going strong. She’s sharp when it comes to coming up with ideas to create aware-ness for projects.

I’ve gained a ton of insight from my wife Kristen. She has a degree in early childhood development and a Masters in library science, which helps me tremendously in being able to determine what kids are reading and what they react to. It was actually her idea to write a chil-dren’s book for struggling readers, who don’t have the zeal to read through the Harry Potter Encyclopedia. The Jupiter Chronicles was the result of that discussion.

SP!: You definitely seem to have a lot of outside, strong female influences to help you with this aspect of your work. Do you think your work is more enhanced by this, or just changed?

LR: It’s definitely more enhanced by way of gaining purpose. As I’ve alluded to before, I want to instill in those who have shared these experiences a hope to live for. In many instances, a child who has been molested goes on to molest other children. A woman who has been raped goes on to make matters worse for herself. A mother who has been abandoned never chooses to better herself. These things don’t need to happen. Better choices can be made despite the hardships.

SP!: Also, could you tell me more about what you mean by “write a children’s book for struggling readers“? Is this in ref-erence to The Jupiter Chronicles, or do you have something else on the hot plate?

LR: My wife is a librarian who majored in early childhood education and development. In her role, she is constantly faced with kiddos who do not have the attention span to read through Harry Potter or other works of fantasy and/or science fiction, because the books are too long for them. They get discouraged and give up. These are second graders who love adventure and science fiction but have nothing to call their own. There are hardly any works of science fiction (let alone Steampunk) that are geared for this crowd and it is for them that I’m writing this series. That doesn’t mean that it’s easy reading. It also needs to be challenging. My wife has been insanely instrumental in helping me to chart the course for this series.

SP!: Looking at Haven, the artwork is really gritty with a good watercolor feeling to it. Davy Fisher is an excellent artist. Is this how you originally saw Haven portrayed in your mind?

LR: I remember before my daughter was born, I had a dream of what she would look like. But when she was born, she turned out to be more beautiful than I could have imagined. This is similar to what happened with Haven. Davy was a godsend. Not only did he fully understand what was needed for the character, but he took things a step further and enhanced on who she was. For example, the glowing eyes were his idea. He added them strictly for aesthet-ics, but I felt the need to apply a deeper meaning, so now, whenever she experiences emotions she does not wish to face, her powers manifest and her eyes glow. Not only is his art wonderful, but he’s a great guy to work with.

SP!: It’s a beautiful thing when both the author and the artist can feed each other in such a productive way. How else has Davy enhanced your work? Do you think you’ll be working with him on other projects in the future?

LR: During the time we were working on Haven, I would set the guidelines as to what I wanted. I’m goal-driven in my work. Every once in a while, Davy would buck me on something and I’d push back. The way I knew that I had to step back and thoughtfully con-sider what he was saying was that he would push back even harder, but in a kind way. That’s when it would burn into my thick skull that I needed to consider it. He used to call me a bulldog. The cool thing about that was that I knew he cared about me and about the work, so I never took it personally. I can work with anyone when I know they care. When they don’t is when I have a problem. Davy was always genuine and never haughty. He was always honest and I appreciated that so very much. You don’t get a lot of that these days. More than anything he’s a great man, not just a good one. Will I ever work with him again? I’d love to. The problem is that Haven took a lot out of him emotionally, especially in dealing with the pub-lisher. He put in a lot of hours and got nothing except our friend-ship in return. I wish he had gotten more. Perhaps someday he will or at least be paid back tenfold somehow. He and I will always be friends. He’s like a brother that I don’t see that often. But when we

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get back in touch, it’s like we never disconnected.

SP!: Where does the inspiration for this story and character come from?

LR: It started with the basic premise of choice. The choice that Haven had when she presumably died left me wondering whether someone would choose to ease their suffering here on Earth or come back to the torment they knew in life, if it meant that someone they loved could be saved a greater torment. Marry that premise with picking up where Dante’s Inferno left off and you have our story. I had men-tioned an assault that my wife had endured many years ago at gun-point and I also wanted to incorporate that into the story. Not for gra-tuitous reasons, but to give Haven something to overcome, aside from the other ills in life she has to endure. This way, readers can identify, if they’ve shared that dreadful experience.

SP!: Has this vision changed much since Haven has physi-cally come about?

LR: Not one bit. Haven’s premise is easy to keep consistent, because the things that she has to overcome are universal, even if they’re not talked about a whole lot in mainstream media. I hope that will change someday.

SP!: One thing that’s interesting is that you have the “Haven Timeline” up for readers to see; you really have thought things through and considered a detailed background, which also lends to a “modern” character stance. Would there be any other Haven tidbits you’d like to share?

LR: Through the years, there has always been a member of the Dante family, who has stood against the nine circles of Hell at an important time in our history. They’ve played an integral part in those events, even if they’ve done so behind the scenes. No one knew who they were during these events, but then again, we didn’t have Twitter during the Revolutionary War.

An ancestor of hers makes an appearance in the book, Argelius Dante.

SP!: Would there be any other Haven books planned?

LR: There’s a prose novel hope to release sometime this summer or fall. I’m considering launching a Kickstarter campaign for it to cover the editing. All we need is $400 and we can move forward on it. The book goes into much greater detail regarding Haven’s whereabouts during the two years that she was missing and it has something to do with purgatory. As much as I wish we could do more of the graphic novel, we don’t have any more planned right now. Davy has moved on to other things, which is perfectly understandable, given how extremely difficult it was to get this project going. There were more hands than needed producing it and not enough hands marketing it and getting

the message out so we had to move on to other things. I’m not a proponent of throwing a bunch of cards on a wall to see which one sticks. You have to focus your marketing efforts and in that phase of the project, I was completely alone.

It’s not easy to break into comics. There were gut-wrenching times when I’d be sitting at a table during a signing and people would walk in and not want to look at me. I don’t mean this in a derogatory fashion, but comics really are driven by fanboys who are only interested in the big two (for the most part), who want what they are already familiar with. As I mentioned before, I love comics, so if I could come back to this I would in a heart-beat. I had already started writing Book Two.

SP!: Many people turn to webcomics to get the word out, or split things into chapters. (The latter worked for me, giving away the first installment as a hook.) And it sounds like you and the marketing demon have been tussling a lot. What do you think you have learned from that? And is there any advice you’d like to share with those who wish to step away from the Big Two?

LR: I would encourage folks to keep their connections and stay in touch with anyone they’ve ever worked with. Also, stay focused and reach out to fill a need, not just to promote yourself. You can give of yourself by keeping a blog and building up readers, so that people can get to know who you are. I love to blog, because it’s the one place where I can be transparent and honest about who I am and share that with anyone who’s interested. It seems to be working well, thus far. My blog is growing by about 1,000 readers a month. I’d love it if your readers would join me there as well.

SP!: I’m also liking what I saw of The Jupiter Chronicles. It already starts with something a lot of kids can relate to: the pain of having a separated family. Is there any-thing behind that?

LR: I grew up without a dad, so I get the pain that kids have to endure as children of divorce. We were dirt poor and relied on hand-me-downs and food deliveries from churches at times. At one point, when I was a little older, I was homeless. Our family was shattered and scattered. That is why I believe so much in family now.

SP!: I think the best part of that story is that you have come out of it doing positive things from your experi-ence, trying to pass on a positive message. Are there any other life lessons you’d like to share that you think play an important role in your creative process?

LR: The biggest one I can think of right now is diligence. This May

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will be one year since my father passed away and even though my parents were divorced and I didn’t grow up in the same household as my dad, he always pushed me to finish what I started and to do it well the first time. He used to say (in Spanish it sounds better, trust me) that “lazy people work twice as hard”. To me, this means that if you put your heart and soul into what you’re doing and complete the task at hand without wavering, that you can finish and finish well. This is a lesson that I have to keep reminding myself of when the sales aren’t there to pay for the editing of my next project. I have to keep going, especially when I love to write, and there’s nothing else I’d rather do.

SP!: And how would you recommend another artist or author pull from their own life experience for the sake of their story?

LR: I would strongly encourage writers and artists to look at the fires that they’ve walked through, but not focus on those. Instead, focus on how you came out the other end. That’s a story.

SP!: Why not a graphic novel with this one as well?

LR: I would, if the right artist came along who believed in it and wanted to do it. I couldn’t afford to pay them up front and that’s what most artists want. I totally understand this, because they are putting their life on hold to draw someone else’s dream and that’s a lot to ask of anyone. I still feel bad about everything Davy had to go through to make Haven a reality, so I wouldn’t ask someone to do it again, unless they came to me and offered. If a publisher came along and offered to pair me up with an artist, I’d also do it.

SP!: Are your characters drawn from real life at all?

LR: Every single one of them is. With Haven, there is a little bit of my wife, my sister, and my daughter’s sarcasm (which I love). With Jupiter Chronicles, I’m definitely Ian. A lost boy with no identity, knowing what it’s like to have a dad for a short time, only to have him taken away.

I don’t want to mislead. Although the characters in my books are deep and thought-through, there is plenty of action running through all of the books. I love fast-paced stuff.

SP!: I see Jupiter Chronicles will be releasing Book Two soon. Tell me about that.

LR: The Ice Orphan of Ganymede will hopefully come out in the fall, if we can cover editing costs. This one picks up where Book One left off, with Ian delving a little deeper into the mystery of who he is. We also see a glimpse of the real hidden threat to the new-found Jovian freedom and an introduction to the Chrono Legion.

SP!: Actually I’m seeing a long list of books you’re about to be releasing.

LR: All of those releases are pending funding.

Haven of Dante is the prose version of the Haven: The Graphic Novel

The Jupiter Chronicles: The Ice Orphan of Ganymede is Book Two in the series.

The Dragon King of Yunnan is still in development and will be released once we get the Chinese characters in place and an artist. This release is a Chinese folktale written in both English and Pinyin.

One Zero One, A Newbie’s Guide to Self-Publishing is pretty self-explanatory. I’m waiting on a cover for that. Delving into publishing has been a great learning experience and one that I should share with others, if it’ll help them avoid some pitfalls.

SP!: Well on that note, I think our readers would love to hear any sage advice you would like to share.

LR: Be diligent, be resourceful and never give up. Whatever you do, do it well. Hire an editor. Hire a graphic designer for your book cover. This is a very tough industry to be in and indies are still looked upon as “lesser than”. We can’t reinforce that idea by producing sub-par product. If you haven’t started a blog, start one. And, by all means, stop by my blog and say hello!

Visit Leonardoverse: Science Fiction for the Human Condition for more info. You can support Leonardo’s work by purchasing The Jupiter Chronicles, now available for 5.99.

S E L F P U B L I S H E R M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 3 2 3

’A FAIR DAY’S WAGE’An article (by Mike Schneider).

Fair is a paradox. The dictionary defines it as ‘free from bias’ but deciding what’s fair couldn’t be more subjective. Being a pro-duction coordinator grants me the opportunity to work with hundreds of international creators at a time. It also leaves me to render a cacophony of contradictions into terms, which are ‘fair’ to everyone involved.

“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”— Marxist Slogan

Since it’s a production-centric philosphy, Marxism seems a logical place to start. Assuming you’re not living in a money-less utopia, that means earning a livable wage. If we accept that as fair, then how do we resolve it with a world of wants? If you want a puppy, then you need to feed it. The more wants someone has fulfilled, the more it takes to maintain them. Does that mean it’s fair to value someone’s work more highly because they have greater needs, when those needs are a byproduct of counter-productive wants? Even if we could somehow agree upon a standard quality of life, the cost of that life is regional and productions are increasingly global. Like most hypotheti-cals, direct application is problematic.

I am currently the coordinating editor of Arcana’s steampunk-themed comic anthology, Steampunk Originals. With creators as diverse as their submissions, I hoped the group might offer a more practical answer. When asked how they calculate their rates, the responses fell into three camps.

The first group confessed that they did not have set rates, but

stressed their flexibility.

Arthur Gibson (Writer): “I have no set rate, but work within the budget of any project.”Michael Liggett (Illustrator): “I’m willing to negotiate if anyone wants to hire me!”

Some went on to emphasize fairness.

Edgardo Granel-Ruiz (Penciller ): “I tend to make prices fair in order to get more work out there.”

CJ Hurtt (Writer ): “My rate varies on the project.. I seek a fair rate for me as well as the creator.”

...but sadly, none were able to define ‘fair’.

The second group offered grand equations which accounted for every variable: their current availability, length of the project, potential of future work/development, complexity of the assignment, deadlines and due dates, materials and other resources, what rights they retain, the revision process involved, the royalty percentage, the project’s budget, how the work will be presented/distributed, their relation-ship to the employer, the prestige of the employer, the ‘coolness’ of the project, how much creative freedom they are allowed, etc. The reality is, if an equation has a subjective variable, then it’s a long-winded way of saying “no set rates”.

The third group is potentially the most interesting, because their answers were based on things completely outside of the project itself. Many of them base their rates on what they could earn doing

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something else.

Ken Bastard (Illustrator): “I go for what I would get paid for a day’s pay making bulletproof glass. I can be fast so it works out.”

This is an interesting answer, because it compares production apples to apples with an unre-lated activity. The dilemma: “What activity do we compare it to?” Inevitably, no matter what you do, there is someone who will either compare the job to leisure activities, an unpaid internship, or not having a job.

Ryan Cady (Writer): “For the sake of experience and making business connec-tions, I have been known to work for free.”

This question may have been too open-ended, so I followed up with a hypo-thetical project. I asked them to imagine that a comic publisher was inter-ested in commissioning them to produce a full-color 80-page trade book. How much would it cost?

J. M. DeSantis (Writer/ Illustrator): “Ideally, I’d want about $400 per page. That’s $32,000.”

CJ Hurtt (Writer): “There are so many variables here. Let’s say $24,000 (300 a page for pencils, inks, letters, and writing) for the art before printing. That may even be a little low.”

Arthur Gibson (Writer): “I would say $16,000 to produce, using artists similar to the ones I’ve used on my projects. I would give the artist (pencils and inks) $6,800 ($85 per page), the colorist $4,800 ($60 per page), the letterer $3,200 ($40 per page), and the writer $1,000. The remaining $200 would cover PayPal fees or any shipping fees for phys-ical pages back and forth, though if unspent would be returned.’

Eric Schock (Writer/ Illustrator): “I would charge ($80) per page. This would only be for the black and white artwork. If they asked for letters ($25-$35), and colors ($50-$60), I would have to adjust accordingly. So, the completed project would come out to $6400 for the art, $2800 for letters, and $4800 for the colors. If they wanted a cover, it would

be $500-$800.” (Total: $14,500–14,80)

Marta Tanrikulu (Writer/Editor): “Important in planning a budget would be to identify one or more artists who would commit to fin-ishing the entire book on an agreed-upon schedule. Rates would need to be competitive enough that the artists would prioritize the

project over other demands for their time As a ballpark cost (give or take a good 50 percent), this seems like a $12K book, not counting printing costs.”

Ken Bastard (Illustrator): “$7500. That includes a cover and formatting. But, you know, everything is negotiable. Within reason.”

Matthew Patterson (Writer/Illustrator): “First, I’d have to stop pinching myself! Then, I’d jump right in!! I pencil, so we’d have to have a team for the other tasks. We’d do it for $10.00 per man, per page, with a small per-centage off the back end.” (Total: $4000 plus as small royalty)

Larson James (Illustrator/Colorist): “If a publisher

wanted me to do an 80-page book I would charge around $30 a page. I’m pretty fast; on a good day I can get around a page or a page and a half done.” (Total: $2400)

Paolo Motta (Writer): “In Italy, usually comic books are longer than 80 pages (90–100 pages), but they are in black-and-white. In this sit-uation, I’d ask the publisher for 100 euro for me, 200 for the artist, and 200 for the colorist.” (Total: 500 euro [650 US dollars])

There is an ocean of distance between $32,000 and $650. Knowing both creators, the results are comparable. So, where do these prices come from?

J. M. DeSantis (Writer/ Illustrator): “If that seems steep, let me break it down for you. I work traditionally. I hand-draw, paint, and ink my pages, and it takes me an average of twelve hours per page. That’s roughly 960 hours for 80 pages, which breaks down to about 24 weeks of work—if I worked eight hours a day on only those pages, and that’s not always possible. But let’s pretend it is. Then consider your expenses, since you’re working full-time on those comic pages,

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and it’s your only source of income. You have to eat, pay your bills, pay insurance, pay taxes on that $32,000 and buy the supplies used to create those pages. Never mind the extra money needed for the unexpected things that happen in life. It’s unrealistic to live dollar-to-dollar, and you should be saving toward retirement.”

Paolo Motta (Writer): “Yes, 500 euro ($650) for the entire book. However, the rate could change if the publisher wants some famous artists, like Alessandro Vitti, Massimiliano Frezzato, or Simone Bianchi. In Italy, the independent comics only exist on the web. There are some self-published comic books, but they have a very small market. Now the only way for indie artists and writers is webcomics. “

These are both reasoned answers by talented creators who make valid points. Which number is ‘fair’? I certainly couldn’t produce an 80-page trade for $650, nor have I ever been offered anything close to $32K. My ‘fair,’ like most, falls some-where between these extremes. If you were a publisher, who would you hire? One might assume that most people would turn toward the cheapest price (for comparable quality) but that’s not always the case.

About two years back, I was working on a flicker frame sequence for Bill Plympton’s Guard Dog: Global Jam. (A flicker frame’ is when each frame of animation is rendered as an independent piece of art. The shapes define the movement and the artists define everything else about their individual frames.) Bill absolutely loved the sequence.

Bill Plympton (Animator): “We were blown away by the sheer beauty and creativity involved in the individual pieces.”

He arranged for all of the frames to be printed and hung around the Florida Film Festival, and has since shown that sequence frame by frame at a number of screenings and events. We also discussed facilitating artists selling prints or their original artwork. I contacted all of the contributors and their quotes ranged from $10 for original art to $1000 for non-edition prints. Unlike Yves Klein’s International Blue, the varied price tags were not part of the artwork; they simply reflected different ideas about what would be a fair price. Again, one might assume people would gravitate toward the cheapest frames, most notable artists, works best suited to their budget or style, etc. but when presented with such varied assessments, most people simply walked away without buying anything, because there was no way to determine what was reasonable.

Most publishers, releasers, and production companies are reasonable and pride themselves on being fair. The problem is simply that nobody can agree on how ‘fair’ translates into

practical terms. As a production coordinator, how do I define terms which are ‘fair’ to everyone involved? I keep my terms to the bare essentials and leave them to negotiate the rest amongst themselves. The only way I’ve found to truly be ‘free from bias’ is to recuse myself from the debate and try to avoid having a vested interest in either side’s definition. How do I value my services? Fair. How do others value my services? It varies from project to project.

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By Ellen Fleischer

M.M. Kin has been a writer for most of her life. In March, she released her first novel. Seeds is a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone for contemporary audi-ences. So far, the reader reviews have been favorable; as of May 2nd, the book has received 4.6 (out of 5) stars on both Goodreads and Amazon. Ms Kin was gra-cious enough to take some time to chat with me this month, about Seeds, self-publishing, and writing in general.

SP!: How long have you been writing?

MMK: I’ve written since I was a girl; various short stories and poems for myself or for class assignments. Seeds, though, is my first serious work.

SP!: Let’s talk a bit about your back-ground. Have you taken formal writing classes?

MMK: I took a few in high school and I minored in English in college. Writing classes were a big part of that. I actually ended up enjoying my minor more than my major.

SP!: Who or what would you con-sider to be the major influences on your writing?

MMK: This is a hard question. I can’t list

just one thing, or even a major one. I like lots of different authors, both modern and classic, and I enjoy various styles and genres. History has always been an interest for me—especially the cultural aspects of it, such as its folklore and traditions. Historical and science fiction are two of my favorite genres and I can honestly say that I draw a lot of inspiration from these.

SP!: How would you describe your writing method?

MMK: Basically, when an idea pops up in my head, I just let it roll around for a while to give it a chance to develop before I write it down. I take notes and work out an outline of major points before I start writing the book itself. Some of the ideas that pop up in my head get rejected later; it usually takes a while for an idea to develop itself into something that I would actually want to write into a story. Once I start writing, editing is a big part of the process, as I am always looking for ways to improve.

SP!: What made you decide to write Seeds?

MMK: I’ve always liked the myth, but some things about it bothered me. I’ve always enjoyed myths and folklore, but so many of them are simplistic and don’t really go in depth about the characters or why they do what they do, and how it makes them feel.

SP!: Seeds is the story of Hades and Persephone. Can you discuss your spin

on this? What are you hoping readers will take away from the story that they might not have found in the original myth?

MMK: I wanted to give the myth a more realistic spin. It still has magic in it, but I modified parts of the story so that it could have happened in this world. After all, they say that legends have a seed of truth in them. I also wanted to make Hades more human, and less the villain he is often por-trayed as, and I wanted to make Persephone a strong woman, instead of just a victim.

SP!: I notice that you’ve changed one of the character names. Is there a reason why you went with ‘Kora’ instead of ‘Persephone’?

MMK: In the original myths, she was called ‘Kore,’ which means ‘girl,’ and she was not given the name Persephone until she became Queen of the Underworld. That is one part of the original myth I decided to retain for Seeds.

SP!: When did you make the decision to self-publish, and why?

MMK: I had already approached enough agents and publishers. I finished this book back in 2011, and after over a year of contacting agents and publishers and getting jerked around by a couple of them, I decided, to hell with it. I also have more control over my book this way, and I have read many good self-published books by others. I’ve read some indie authors who were better—at least in my opinion—than some

M.M. KIN From a fertile soil: An interview with the author of Seeds

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Twenty Questions with…famous/established authors.

SP!: What would you say have been the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of the self-pub-lishing process for you?

MMK: The rewarding thing: seeing the completion of my work. The challenge: well, it did not feel good to get rejected by agents and publishers, but I sol-diered on.

SP!: Were there any sur-prises along the way?

MMK: I don’t really recall any.

SP!: What advice would you give a fellow writer who told you that they were thinking about self-publishing?

MMK: Edit, edit, edit! And not just by yourself! You need someone who will not be afraid to point out mistakes or issues in your work. You also need to keep in mind that you’re not just writing for yourself, you’re also writing for an audience, so you want the story to be accessi-ble—and interesting —to them.

SP!: I see that Seeds is the first part in a trilogy. Can you give a few hints about future plot developments?

MMK: Well, this is not so much a trilogy as it’s actually one story, and that is how I wrote it. I just had to cut it into three parts because publish-ing it all would have resulted in a really thick, heavy book. The rest of the trilogy is simply a continuation of Volume One, and covers the growing relationship between Hades and Persephone (along with some really fun scenes between the two of them!), as well as the adventures—and

misadventures—of gods and mortals on the surface world, and the consequences of Zeus’s, Hades’, and Demeter’s actions.

SP!: Do you have any other writing proj-ects on the horizon?

MMK: Yes. I’ve always been interested in science fiction, so I will be doing something in that genre, as well as a story inspired from one of my all-time favorite fairy tales. I also have in mind a collec-tion of shorter stories based off various world myths and folklore, and a family saga. I’d also like to do historical fiction. Choices, choices! I can’t say which one I will finish next, it depends on my mood.

SP! Do you already have ideas for a sequel to Seeds?

MMK: Actually, no. The story of Seeds is told in the trilogy, and I feel that the story is com-plete as is. I may get an idea later on, but I can say that at this time I am very happy with the

three volumes and think that all that needs to be said about Hades and Persephone is said in there. I do plan to touch on other Greek or Roman myths in the short story collection I mentioned earlier, and Hades and Persephone may appear in one or two of them.

SP!: Anything you’d like to add that we haven’t touched on yet?

MMK: Research is very impor-tant in writing. There is no excuse to not do this, espe-cially if you’re doing a novel with a historical or contempo-rary setting. Heck, I would say that at least a bit of research is required for any writing project, no matter what the genre or setting.

SP!: Finally, how can our readers obtain a copy of your novel and/or keep up with you?

MMK: The print novel can be bought from Createspace or Amazon, and it is also available for the Kindle from Amazon. I can be contacted at ememkin@

gmail.com, and I can be found on Facebook where I post news and updates of progress on my writing.

SP!: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today. Best of success to you!

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Twenty Questions with…

For every major musical act, there are hundreds of hard working bands playing just for the sheer love of playing the music. They are not making millions; in some cases, they aren’t even making gas money, but they are making the lives of everyone that hears them just a little bit richer. One such band is Qiet. Don’t let the name fool you as John Wilson sits down with the band’s manager, James Maddox, to ask him Twenty Questions (with a few choice comments from the band members, including Alasha Al-Qudwah, Christopher Harris, Jason Myer, and Mike Waldeck Jr).

JW: What was your first experience with music?

JM: My first experience with music was probably something lame—like I remember playing the soundtrack to Amadeus on loop for days as a kid. But I do remember the Gorillaz making a big impact on how I viewed the interaction between music and story. As a comic creator, it’s the music that lends itself to a narrative that catches my ear. Qiet’s lyrics and movement definitely hold to that preference.

JW: For people who don’t know, what is a music manager?

JM: I don’t know that I can really answer that question, either. I’m a very detail-oriented person who markets and publicizes his ass off for my own work and the works I believe in. I also have a knack for organizing and pushing a project into new phases of production. Qiet just found a way in my daily operations, and so I’ve been representing them and using my contacts to move all of us up the ladder.

MW: In terms of “Maddox Music Managers,” they are people who make sure that things are in order for the right things to happen for the band. Falling under personal, music, and business, Maddox’s job is to make sure that all our careers are headed in the right direction. He is the band’s producer. He makes sure the whole band’s final product ends up in the right place.

JW: Is this your first band? If not, what is your musical history?

JM: Qiet is my first band and will likely be my only band. Unless I come across something amazing, I’m not really interested in taking on others; mainly because, when my focus is engaged, it tends to be complete. I don’t think I’d want to divide that up between multiple groups. However, I do my best to help the bands that I believe have strong potential.

JW: How did this crazy mix of people come together?

CH: We each have our different stories, of course, but all in all, the group accepted us, much in the same way the world accepts all of the turtles.

JW: What is your process for creating new music?

JM: Christopher writes the foundation. He puts all of the notes in a file and, with the recordings, puts them in a folder on the com-puter, where they sit for 6 months. Once the half-year has passed,

QIET by John Wilson

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Interview by John Wilson Pictures by Amanda Arnold

it is listened to again and it is decided if it is good enough for public consumption. If no, it is permanently deleted. If yes, it is given to the band, where they each apply their individual wonderment.

JW: How would you describe their sound, given they are a band that—to some—might defy categorization?

JM: One of our friends (and a fan) once said that Qiet was all the best music that was on her iPod rolled into one band. She said it was what she didn’t know she was waiting for. I know that’s not any genre—not like rockabilly or folk—but it’s always stuck with me. Qiet has the ability to produce music that feels timeless. If you have a name for that, please let us know.

JW: How would you pitch them to a new, unexplored venue?

JM: New venues are tricky for some musicians to approach, but so far, we’ve had a good run with approaching them on a business-oriented pitch. Our fan base is usually enough to get them inter-ested, but we’ve also been sure to note how good we are at keeping a crowd. But with that, you have to prove the claim. If you say you can keep a crowd, you’d better be able to do so. Otherwise, you’re looking at a one and done situation.

JW: Qiet tours with an unusually large group of perform-ers. Has that been a challenge booking shows and how much does that dynamic play into the music they create?

JM: Our touring strategy has been very fluid. We work with a lot of people, so we all have to be ready for the difficulties that the road is more than willing to deliver. Because of that, we’ve relied on fans to house us and we’ve crammed into countless hotel rooms. Whatever’s needed to get the music out there, that’s what we do.

JW: Do you currently have a piece that you would say is their best?

JM: Anyone in the band will tell you my favorite song (the song I’m most protective of, even) is “Little Window”. It appeals to my science fiction sensibilities. But the strongest mainstream piece would be “COCA”.

JW: What has been your best experience with a band? What made it so good?

JM: When Qiet practices as a whole, they play in my basement. No kidding, the room is filled with racks of music equipment, speak-ers, costumes, etc. The only things down there that are still mine and Mary’s are the washer/dryer, a treadmill, and a foosball table. Anyway, I remember one day, Qiet was practicing downstairs and I was up in my study reviewing pages from Jen Hickman for a book that would later be called THE DEAD. All at once, the music and art

and editing hit me, and all I could think was “This is my life” and laugh a bit, and then get back to work.

JW: What are the worst experiences that you have had with a band? What went wrong?

JM: We had a string of gigs across Tennessee and North Carolina — our first big venture out into that area. As time went on, we discovered those shows held connections that would help us in big ways, but at the time, the attendance was nil, as was the pay. I worried that the experience would cause the band to lose heart, but they surprised me by remaining upbeat, posi-tive and professional. Also, even when there was no one but Hellblinki in the audience, we rocked the house each and every show. Still, I learned a lot of lessons about tour planning from that experience.

JW: Qiet just came off a tour with Ford Theatre Reunion and the two bands seemed to meld so well , both sty-listically and emotionally. How was that experience and did it change the band in any way?

JM: Our experiences with FTR showed that we weren’t alone. Both Qiet and FTR have big goals for the future, and both have members in the right state of mind to take it beyond a regional level. I’ve always believed in “strength in numbers”, but in order for that to really work, those numbers have to have talent and drive. More and more, we’re finding those groups, none so much as with FTR.

JW: Tell me the story of that now almost legendary “Awful Horn” that seems to follow the band and turn up in Jason Myer’s performances so often.

JMyer: While growing up in Germany, we rented the bottom floor of a house from the Schulz family. Frau Schulz babysat me and had learned to play the anfeld horn from her Bavarian grandfather. I loved it when we would go out in the garden and she would play traditional German drinking songs for me, as I danced around, wrecking her flowers. My family moved to rural West Virginia when I was six, and for many years, I forgot about the anfeld horn.

While at a string band festival, I heard someone playing strangely familiar music. I drunkenly stumbled toward the sounds and eventually came to the camp of a fiddler from Germany playing the anfeld horn! A flood of childhood memories swept me away and I spent the rest of the week at his camp trading my knowl-edge of fiddle tunes for lessons on the anfeld horn. When Ford Theatre Reunion started talking about their “awful horn”, I didn’t think anything of it. Then, while on tour together, Alex whipped it out... lo and behold, it wasn’t an “awful horn”; it was an anfeld horn! (It’s easy to see how they misunderstood the name.)

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I snatched the horn from Alex and ripped into a rather rusty version of “Folly in the Pasture,” as their jaws practically hit the floor! Since then, they like for me to take a solo on the anfeld horn whenever we play a show together. I think fate brought our bands together.

JW: How has it been balancing the needs of a band, a comic convention, and a comic production company, all at the same time? Where have the three benefitted you and where have they held you back?

JM: I balance them all pretty evenly, but I have a lot of help on each front. Still, as far as keeping it all straight in my head, I’m very pleased with my ability to multi-task.

As far as holding back and benefiting, I’ve never paid any attention to all that. Some of my projects work well with one another at one time, and at other times, they don’t. I just try and not lose sight of the primary goals for each one.

JW: You are not yet a “signed” band…Is this something that you aspire to or is it even on your radar?

JM: I would like to say, “Fuck the system, we’re going rogue!” but the truth is, I would welcome a recording contract for Qiet. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll break our backs making every show entertaining and profitable on our own. Frankly, our ability to use the resources around us has proven legendary at times, but all of us are eager to discover what monumental shows we could pull off with a larger budget and larger resources.

JW: What are your plans for the future of the band?

JM: To have the members of Qiet making their living solely through their work with the band. After that, we’ll try our hand at making the world dance.

JW: Is there one image or symbol that you think best describes your band’s arching idea?

JM: A man in a dress singing to a bunch of people in the wooded hills of West Virginia. I know artists who could make that into an icon or symbol, so it counts.

AAQ: A horizon is what comes to mind. A horizon stretches over time, incorporating many hues that melt into each other. In Qiet, we are all those colors woven together to create a sound and experience that is to not be forgotten. We hope to expand our music in such a way that it reaches people all over the world, no matter what status they are. Every human can enjoy a horizon just as every human can enjoy music brought forth from people that creatively aspire to inspire. Horizons are constantly evolving just as Qiet does! Or a kid-drawn treble clef. Or nothing.

JW: What are some of the gigs that the band will be playing in the near future?

JM: At the time of this writing, we’re looking forward to a summer of festivals and the Steampunk Empire Symposium. Both Qiet and I have some goodies being prepared for SES, so that show is holding a special place in my heart.

JW: Where can people find Qiet on the web?

JM: Facebook (/qietmusic) and Twitter (@qiet) have become the places for breaking news, but the main Qiet site is still available for show announcements and music. Find that at www.qietmusic.com.

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John Wilson’s dreams of becoming a rock drummer were dashed when he found that he had no rhythm, but his love for the music endured. You can find him writing and podcast-ing about his other love, comic books and graphic novels, on the Comic Related website http://www.comicrelated.com

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TOM TAYLORI first had the plea-sure of first meeting Tom Taylor when I joined the Writers Community of York Region. Over the ensuing months, I found that this man smiles easily, understands many and has an under-lying wit that takes most by surprise.

Tom plays his cards close to his chest, as he wants to learn more about the people around

him and not just push himself upon them. I found this trait extremely endearing, since most people just want to talk about themselves. Tom is humble, and I find that quality intriguing in a writer.

When I contacted Tom regarding the interview with Self Publisher! Magazine, he responded with enthusiasm and a pure desire to help others. Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University with a major in history. He continues his study of history and English liter-ature to this day, knowing it will only improve his passion for writing.

Many of the readers of his book, Brock’s Agent, have the same comment: “I couldn’t put it down.” And his second book, Brock’s Railroad, is touted by readers as “even better.”

It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you a great man and a fan-tastic author, Tom Taylor.

SP!: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview, Tom. I know you’re busy with the upcoming release of Brock’s Traitor.

TT: You are right. Chapters/Indigo has already placed orders, so that is very exciting.

SP!: How difficult was it to get your book into Chapters Indigo?

TT: My company already worked with Chapters, so we knew the drill. That gave me a tremendous advantage, so I was lucky. Also, Chapters has been very good in helping me promote the book. I can’t praise them enough.

SP!: How long did it take you to write your first book, Brock’s Agent?

TT: Since this was my first novel, it really took a lifetime! All the things I learned over the years came pouring out in the creation of the story. However, I’m sure you want to know how long the physi-cal writing process took, and would be about five years.

SP!: Your follow-up book, Brock’s Railroad, has been called an even larger success. How does that make you feel?

TT: There is great satisfaction knowing that readers around the world enjoy your story. Escaped slaves fighting beside the British Army—and winning—makes everyone stand up and cheer.

SP!: Has your family been supportive of your writing career?

TT: Barbara Kyle, Canada’s famous Tudor novelist, once told me that every married writer needs the support of their spouse. She was right. The family has to give up some of their time with you to allow for the writing.

SP!: I have read the reviews of Brock’s Agent and Brock’s Railroad, and found myself a little envious. How has the knowledge your books are considered “must read” mate-rial affected you?

TT: I’ve been very fortunate to receive good reviews in the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, and really, anywhere the books have been reviewed.

SP!: Are you planning on writing more books about the character Jonathan Westlake?

TT: Westlake is the Canadian boy next door that, when pushed, can do remarkable things. He is all of us, really. Canadians have accom-plished outstanding feats, but we rarely talk about them. I just put those feats into the context of a story. Gone with the Wind is not about the Civil War, anymore than Brock’s Agent is about the War

Brock’s Traitor

An interview by Douglas Owen.

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of 1812. However, in both cases, it would be difficult to conceive one without the other.

It will be three books in less than three years, with the launch of Brock’s Traitor in April. I might slow down a little, but we’ll have to see what the response is like. I have great idea for a fourth book, but I might take a break.

SP!: Have you thought about writing other books in the same genre?

TT: Yes. I have a great story for WWI. I just don’t have the time to write everything I would like to.

SP!: I would like you to brag a little here; how many copies of each book have you sold so far?

TT: I think Brock’s Agent is now over 2000 and Brock’s Railroad, in its first nine months, is around 1500. That’s not bad, considering that the average book in Canada sells around 700 copies. The key with my novels is that they continue to sell at forts and museums every tourist season.

SP!: Tom, brag a little more! Tell people how much you spent advertising your books.

TT: It depends on what you mean by advertising. It’s important for authors to get out there and promote their work. I visit many re-enactments and forts around the province to read and sign books. Also, I do store signings and readings in pubs, coffee shops, and schools. I’d suggest all new authors print their own bookmarks to give away. Get a poster or banner to hang wherever you speak. You must promote your novel everywhere you can think of.

SP!: What do your friends think, knowing how many books you have sold?

TT: They cheer for my success, as I cheer for theirs. The most reward-ing story I can tell you is that my mom and dad went into a Coles store and gave the store manager hell for not having my book dis-played correctly. WOW! There is nothing quite like having one’s parents come out swinging for you, even at age 60. And that’s sort of the story behind Brock’s Agent in a way. We are all of us seeking redemption in the eyes of our parents, our peer group, or even our own.

SP!: Did you ever envision yourself as an author when you were young?

TT: NO.

SP!: When did you finally decide you wanted to write Brock’s Agent and why?

TT: I was reading Sharpe’s Tiger and thought, “Why can’t we have a Canadian hero? The Brits and Yanks have theirs; we should have ours! This writing stuff doesn’t look that difficult.” I was in for a big surprise.

SP!: If you could give some advice to the struggling authors reading this interview, what would it be?

TT: Persist. If you love writing, do it. Sit in that chair and don’t stop writing. Do not turn on the television—then you won’t have to turn it off!

On writing itself, live the scene through each character’s eyes and make sure that, as you write, somebody has to want something—because—but they can’t get it. Somewhere, I learned that little gem—Want, Because, But—for every scene!

TRIM SIZE: 6 X 9 inches SPINE SIZE: .86 inches OUTSIDE COVER — 4 colour process

TOMTAYLOR

BROCK’sTRAITOR

“The Americans were coming to kill him.” So opens the novel as Agent Westlake returns in Brock’s Traitor!

Young Lieutenant Jonathan Westlake holds a two-month old unopened letter from the dead General Sir Isaac Brock. He knows these will be the last words he ever receives from his hero and mentor. But the delay in opening it is costly! At the highest levels in York’s garrison, there is a traitor selling vital intelligence to the enemy.

Brock’s letter sends Westlake on a deadly mission to find the traitor and his secret accomplices. Battling weather and enemy soldiers, Westlake fights his way across the frozen St. Lawrence River into American territory. At Sackets Harbor, he soon discovers that the largest combined army and naval invasion in American history is in the planning. How does the traitor figure into their plans and where will the bluecoats hit Upper Canada first — Kingston, Niagara, or York [now Toronto]?

An enticing barmaid, smugglers, and traitors on both sides teach Westlake that honour has a way of changing its meaning according to the circumstance.

“Brock’s Traitor is a riveting thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the opening sentence to the grand finale. Hold on to your hats — you haven’t

had a ride with historical fiction like this before!” — Lory Kaufman, best-selling author of the Verona Trilogy

Hancock and Dean$19.98

Hancock and Dean

A novel of honor in the War of 1812

“Taylor spins a well rounded riveting tale…” Historical Novels Review

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By Ellen Fleischer

This month, SP! caught up with editor Victoria Shockley. Victoria is a freelance writer and editor for hire, in addition to being an assis-tant acquisitions editor and copy editor at Wandering in the Words Press. A rising junior at NCSU (majoring in English), she has experi-ence with both nonfiction and fiction, includ-ing children’s books, historical fiction, sci-fi, and other genres. We asked her to talk with us a bit about her editing work, particularly as it pertains to self-publishing.

SP!: How did you get into editing?

VS: My first editing project was with Wandering in the Words Press. They were just starting out and the editor offered me a job copy editing their manuscripts. I found that I enjoyed it and, a little while later, I started freelancing! To date, I’ve edited novels from almost every genre for both domestic and international clients.

SP!: There are different branches within the editing field. (For example, I’m mainly a copy editor.) Can you describe some of the primary areas? Do you have a specialty?

VS: Sometimes editors create their own defi-nitions of the primary areas, but for me these are proofreading, copy editing, line editing, and developmental editing. Proofing is mainly for typos and small errors, while copy editing looks at grammar, spelling, word choice (e.g. misused words, clichés, etc.), and things of that nature. Line editing goes one step further and analyzes sentence structure, clarity, and consistency. Developmental editing focuses on the “big picture” and handles issues with plot or character development. I’m open and willing to edit in all areas!

SP!: When you take on an editing job, how do you approach it?

VS: I start out by asking the writer if he or she knows what kind of editing they need. If not, I explain the different areas, and I ask for the final word count and a short sample, so I can see the quality of the writing. Sometimes the client likes to see my sample edit, in which case I send it to them, but other times, it’s just for my benefit to provide them with a quote. Once we agree on price and turnaround time, I edit their book and send it back in a Word document.

SP!: Have you ever encountered clients who seemed unclear of the scope of your duties? If so, in what way(s)?

VS: Yes, I’ve worked with quite a few authors for whom it was their first book, so they’d never used a professional editor before. I’m always

happy to explain the process and answer any questions they may have.

SP!: Today, self-publishing has never been easier. However, this frequently means that many costs that are normally borne by traditional publishing houses fall squarely on the shoulders of the creators. What are the variables that typically influence the cost of editorial expertise?

VS: Well, when you publish the traditional way, many publishing houses will not only cover the editing, but also the formatting for ebooks, cover art, illustrations (if applica-ble), and marketing, after the book has been published. But as far as just the editing side of things, the variables differ among editors. For me, the cost of a project is influenced only by the length and the level of editing they need.

SP!: Understanding that there are many variables that could drive the cost of editorial work up or down, how much would you rec-ommend that a creator set aside in their production budget for editing?

VS: I would say how much you set aside depends on the quality of your writing and how long your manuscript is. For me, I don’t go by a per-page or per-word rate,

Victoria ShockleyAPPETITE FOR REDACTION: An interview with :

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because I know that every project is differ-ent, so I quote my clients individually, after seeing a sample of their work and their final word count. In general, if you have a mid-length novel (30–60k words), I’d go ahead and set aside a few hundred dollars for copy and line editing. If it’s a longer work (80–100+k words), you probably want to count on saving $400–$500. However, I’ve been told my rates are more competitive than the average editor’s. For example, I had a client come to me with a $250 project after being quoted $500 from another editor. Therefore, you may want to shop around a little to find someone who can do a quality job while still keeping within your budget.

SP!: How obvious is it to you when you read a work that has not had the benefit of editorial expertise? Are there any pitfalls that you see writers stumble into over and over again?

VS: It’s extremely obvious when I read some-thing that has not been edited, especially if the writer is just starting out or isn’t famil-iar with the style guide for their genre (e.g. usually novels use Chicago, but sometimes I get manuscripts written in AP style—which is used for journalism!). As for common pit-falls, there are a few rules that writers con-sistently seem to forget. One is the fact that single quotes (‘ ’) can’t be used in place of double quotes (“ ”). If you want to empha-size a word or include dialogue, please use double quotes! The other grammar issue I see a lot is a comma splice, meaning the writers separate two independent clauses (full sentences) with only a comma instead of a semi-colon.

SP!: Do you have any favorite editing moments?

VS: My favorite moments are sending back manuscripts and hearing (well, reading in my emails) how excited clients are. I love knowing people are satisfied with my work, and I enjoy being able to help authors take one step closer to making their dream of being published a reality.

SP!: How about pet peeves?

VS: One of my biggest pet peeves is when potential clients stop responding without saying if they’ve found someone else. For example, I was emailing back and forth dis-cussing a manuscript with a woman a few months ago, and after I had done a sample edit, explained the process, and given her a quote, she suddenly stopped respond-ing. After sending a follow-up email, she eventually responded almost a month later saying she’d found someone else to edit her book. When I’m negotiating with someone about a project, I’m keeping a spot open for them on my calendar, so I would appreci-ate knowing if they’re no longer interested.

SP!: What advice would you offer a creator for making their work “editor-ready”?

VS: Here’s a checklist:

• Convert the document to theproper format to be edited (e.g. don’t send a Notepad or Wordpad file).

• Double-spacetheentiremanuscript.

• Addatitlepagewiththetitleandyour name.

• Checkyourworktomakesureitonlyneeds the editing you’ve agreed upon—for example, if you only asked for proofreading, make sure your manuscript doesn’t need anything more than that.

SP!: How open are you to creator “rebuttals”/arguments? In other words, if clients aren’t receptive to your suggestions, how do you normally handle it?

VS: In general, I don’t hear my clients’ com-ments on my changes. Because I use Track Changes in Word to make my edits, clients can easily accept or reject anything I’ve cor-rected without saying anything to me about it. Sometimes they have questions about a change though, which I’m happy to answer.

SP!: At what point would you say the line gets crossed between editing and ghostwriting? Does it ever happen that a client tells you they “just want you to look something over,” when they really mean “rewrite it and slap my name on it?”

VS: I don’t actually do any ghostwriting, but I do occasionally receive projects where the writing is subpar. One of the most memo-rable ones was a manuscript that had an error in every sentence. After editing the first chapter or two, I realized that it was a pattern for the whole novel and contacted my client, who ended up revealing that he didn’t really speak English and hoped I would re-write it for him. I kindly explained that editing does not mean re-writing the whole book for someone, but I directed him to others who provided those services.

SP!: Do you have any other words of wisdom that you’d like to share with our readers?

VS: Definitely take advantage of everything Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social platforms can offer you in terms of growing your social network. This is very important for writers, authors, and fellow editors!

SP!: How could a potential client connect with you?

VS: My links:

W Website: http://victoriashockleywrites.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Victoria_Writes

L i n k e d I n : w w w. l i n k e d i n . c o m / i n /victoriashockley/

SP!: Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us today!

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The 2nd Annual Clallam Bay ComicCon--Doing It Again, But Better!

What’s better than having a local ComiCon literally in your backyard? Doing it again, of course!

Only this time, Clallam Bay ComiCon is moving out of the yard and into town.

Based on Donna Barr’s Dragon Model, the 2nd Annual CBCC will be expanding from Barr’s front yard into the local Lion’s Club hall, and that’s not the only change.

“We have a gamesmaster - and Dara, of Crime and the Forces of Evil will be back [performing],” says Barr. “We have panels, and a page to sign up to throw one.

“If you were at Emerald City this year, remember Darth Vader playing the bagpipe - on stilts? We got him, too - he’s marching in the parade and will be doing a cosplay panel. He’s researching a bagpipe/drummer beach festival.

“We may have fireworkers in the parade.”

Panels and gaming, and they’ve even got access to the Lion’s Club kitchen if folks want to set up food sales in return for a small donation. “They need to be grownups and make sure they’re legal. Kids from the school can sell cookies, if

they want - no donations will be requested.” All in all, it’s shaping up to be a smash of a second convention.

Just like last year, Donna holds to her theory that ComiCons don’t need massive controls and tons of rules as long as everyone acts like adults and keeps their act together. It worked last year and she has high hopes that it’ll continue to work in the future.

So far she’s heard of no one else using her Dragon Model to host their own con, but she’s giving a panel on just that this year to spread the word. “People are going to be so, ‘That’s ALL?? Geeze. Why didn’t I do this before?’” she predicts.

In the nearby community center the local art club will be displaying the usual array of flowers and landscapes, but Barr hopes to show them how fun the comics and art world is by broker-ing reasonable fees for ComiCon artists to put up a panel in the show. If that doesn’t work out, there’s still plenty of space in the Lion’s Hall. The nominal vendor fee comes with tables, chairs, and electricity but everything else is up to the vendor.

“Yes, this is me talking people into doing mad things,” she says. “I got my training (such as it is) doing the Peach Pitts routines at conven-tions (with the help - indeed leadership - of my good and talented friend, Timothy B. Wagner). And everybody thought we were just running around scaring people with iguanas.”

The town of Sekiu seems to be profiting from her efforts as well.

According to conversations on the event’s Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/events/271960539584863/ ] all of the local hotels have, indeed, been booked (by both ComiCon and Fun Days participants) but nearby communities and local camping facilities are available. Shuttle services are even being arranged, though carpooling is still encouraged.

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The 2013 Clallam Bay Comicon will be held during Clallam Bay/Sekiu Fun Days, July 13-14, in Clallam Bay, on the upper northwest corner of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula. All creative people - authors of comics and other books and poetry, magic, animation, jewelry, gallery artists and prose authors, steampunk. carving, quilts, musicians, cosplay -- are welcome to show and sell. Admission is free to the public.

Details for obtaining table space is posted on the 2013 Clallam Bay Comicon page on Facebook or at www.donnabarr.com ; email donnabarr01@gmail.com

DONNABARRThe 2nd Annual Clallam Bay ComicCon--Doing It Again, But Better!

An article by Jennifer “Scraps” Walker

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