♫ I applied for a rescue dog,
But if I get you dog,
You're rescuing me ♫
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2021 -- beyond.
Leaning up to, and over, the edge.
It’s been a big week of prepping for the launch announcement this week. I try not to take this business lightly, and I believe this is my first miniseries release since Sami and I dropped BEAUTIFUL CANVAS...3 years ago?
Damn, that’s almost depressing. I’ve had ETERNAL [I think that was post BC], and SHE, and SKYSCRAPER since then, but otherwise it’s been a dead zone where other things have been written but not yet released.
Anyway, I should see the positive side - I have a comic launching in 3 months, it’s gorgeous, and I’m in love with what we’ve done.
So to prep for this month where I try to rally stores and readers to drop in orders before the orders cut off, I have done the following:
Prepped the press release with the publisher
Written posts to put on my site - a launch post, a page preview post, a post about working with Sami again, a post about the main character.
Created social media images to share
Crafted my email that I’ll send to retailers
Prepped myself for a short video/s I’ll record trying to hype things up
My aim is to have a variety of content ready to post and point to and preen around with throughout the course of the month. I don’t want to be posting the same tired cover image and preorder code every damn day, so I’m aiming to have something different every few days. I want to keep it fresh and exciting.
I’m also going to consciously post stuff on social media during different hours of the day. I have to remember that about 5% of my followers ever see anything I post [if I’m lucky] and that someone would need to be on twitter 24 hours straight to get sick of me posting something every 4-6 hours.
No one begrudges someone else just trying to sell their comic. I hope, ha.
My final aim is to outsell BEAUTIFUL CANVAS, but I’m aware we came into that book with heat, and my flame has dwindled, but I know Sami’s has risen, so let’s hope he drags my carcass above the waterline.
I’ll probably also send out a few more of these, so, I guess, you’ve been warned :]
Speaking of warnings, here’s me shilling my comic to the hip young readers out there!
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Principal Lindsay.
For 3 hours today, I was Principal Lindsay at school as every single other important person was out at a training. I had to sit up in the front office, help whoever needed it as things arose, and just generally ensure the combustion free nature of the school [and those within it].
The whole process just reminded me how much I need to focus on what I enjoy in my job, as well as surrounding life. I like the challenge of being in the classroom, I like engaging with students, and I like my D&D club. I’m sure I could still do all of these things as a Principal, but not at the scale which I do now. The role of running a school, at this time, still doesn’t interest me.
But our rat race often defines success as promotion, more money, and eventually longer hours. I don’t want/need that if I’m to balance against kids and wife and exercise and writing. I’m sure some people can manage it, but it’s not for me.
So I hung up the Principal’s suit jacket at the end of the day and happily returned to my classroom with 3 hours worth of context about how much I love my job and should appreciate it.
ASD&D.
Mirror adventures. In the school club, I’m running the same adventure for two different groups, and it’s awesome seeing how differently each one is playing it, while they still both get through about the same amount of content/land space.
Your D&D players are unique, kids especially, and they make the game a hell of a lot of fun to run.
I was also pleased to stand up from today’s session and say, “Well, that was fun.” And one of the kids responded with, “That was epic!” Makes me smile.
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PERHAPS YOU'D CARE TO SAMPLE
I have not curated much online reading this week. Too much “launch brain” - sorry.
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GRIST FOR THE MILL
THOR: RAGNAROK - rewatched this with the family, it’s such a damn fun movie. For every flaw it has, I just don’t care because it makes me laugh, and it makes me care about the characters, and it shows me some truly beautiful shots. I’ll take some perfect scenes over a good flick that’s flawless any day of the week.
GREENER PASTURES - I just read every issue of the old school Aussie comic sensation, about a bull anthropomorphised, but also about so much more. This comic is really bloody good, and it’s got some great themes addressed in it, and now I’m desperate for more.
THE LAST CHANCE HOTEL - I’ve nearly finished reading this YA murder mystery to my son [I read t him every second night] and I’ve really enjoyed this book. It’s kept us both gripped, and we’re into the final 25 pages, and you can see it’s about to get real. Definitely push this one towards any YA readers in your life.
THE GODS OF SILVERLAKE - I just started reading this Middle Grade sequel to THE ELDER TRIALS by my brothers Marc & James Lindsay. This thing starts off awesome and has me completely hooked from the start. My bros know how to write bloody awesome pages.
Head on over and buy the ebook for THE GODS OF SILVERLAKE - or you can track it down in paper form by pestering my bro online [he’ll post one out to you, with a signature in it], or finding that Bezos bastard’s site on your own.
Be one of the good guys, because there's way too many of the bad.
POST CREDITS SEQUENCE
I’ve enjoyed playing around with Cappuccino - the app where you join groups, people record short 3 minute or under audio clips, and you listen to it all the next morning at 8am in a kind of low-fi jazz podcast.
I’ve been posting short updates and writing thoughts to the TWO FISTED HOMEOPAPE group where a small group of A+ people have been listening, so if you want to join [I don’t post something every single day, so you get a reprieve, I promise] do the following:
Head to cappuccino.fm - or download the app
Click to join a group and enter code: 568144
Hopefully it’s good fun for ya.
Hey Ryan, just a hello and thanks for this newsletter. I love the humanity you bring to it, and the authenticity as you work through your creativity. It's been a true inspiration and model for some ideas of my own. And your point about "promotion = success?" is so on point. What helps you stay true to yourself is ultimately what it's about.