A Week in Writing #631 - A Creative Gut Punch

Hope everyone is staying safe, and, of course, writing.

The week ended on a bit of a down note when it came to Powers Squared. I remember a few weeks/months ago, reporting about our surprising sales at Golden Apple Comics in Hollywood. We had, supposedly sold, 8 of 12 copies of the first two trades we'd left there. We felt really good that we had a breakthrough and had made sales at a very prominent comic book shop. Well, all lies.

Friday, the manager of the store called, not only to ask us to pick up the remaining copies, but all 12 copies. The owner had been incorrect in saying we'd sold copies and they want their money back. When you're an independent comic book, that's the last thing you want to hear. Not in a big hurry to do that, but we'll probably have to do it next weekend.

But the call costs more than money. It was a sort of creative gut punch. I think we'll recover and carry on, but the incident won't be forgotten any time soon.

Finished the submission for San Diego Comic-Con 2027 small press, by sending copies of issues #28 and #29. Fingers crossed we'll be chosen. It's hard to know the rules, since there are a lot of non-small press in Small Press, but we're living in Comic-Con's world and by their rules, such as they are.

We're working on something fun for L.A. Comic-Con in October. I won't get into it, but we'll discuss when we get closer and have examples to share. Otherwise, I think we have everything we'll need, including candy for the kids. (It's over Halloween.)

Work continued this week on issue #31, with time spent going over page 4 with the artist. She's very quick to respond, so it means every other night, a new version of a page needs to be reviewed with everyone and then comments have to be written and sent. It's a necessary evil, I guess and a better situation than waiting for pages, which is the flip of the coin. I prefer this side.

My review of the 1943 Batman serial, was the Batman Day Saturday Morning Review on Trophy Unlocked. It was something I had written about 10 months ago. It's one of the longest reviews I've ever written, since it covered all the episodes in a 15-part serial.

The rest of the week had seen the rollout by Trevor of three different Review Hubs. On Tuesday, Review Hub - X-Men; and, on Friday, two: Review Hub - Resident Evil and Review Hub - Wallace & Gromit. Proof that there's something for everyone on Trophy Unlocked. No new review this week, but while watching TCM's Silent Sundays, I realized I had already watched and written a review for So This is Paris (1926), so I put it up on the blog, but publication is pending; isn't it always.

I'm not much involved with this week's podcast. I mean I was there, but Trevor and Paul handled most of the questioning of Evan Brooks, a Transformers toy designer they had met at several SDCCs. I think it went well and if you're into Transfomers, then you're in for a treat. It's on our twitch channel for the next few days, you can listen to it or find other platforms here, and, as always, the podcast will be on our YouTube channel, starting at 2:30 pm PT on Wednesday.

Worked some on Blackmail. I think, except for some tweaks later on, that I'm done with it. Now that it's fall, I guess I'll start the ol' queries to the black hole of trying to find an agent. Now sure which book to try this time. I still like Broken People but it might be time to move on from that one.

I've been editing the next story idea, and still no name. Maybe I'll call it Cold Case, as he's looking for someone who disappeared 15 years prior. It's loosely, very loosely, based on someone I knew in high school, who ran away from home. We had "dated" if that's the word for it, a few years before. Then her family move to California and then back to Dallas, where I lived at the time. For over a year I was calling regularly to talk to her, only to be told she wasn't available. Then, at some point, the father told me she'd run away after they moved back. Well, it's been more than 15 years, but the idea of a high school girl running away is the prompt. I have no idea what ever became of her, so now I'll be able to get fictional closure; if that's a thing.

So, I'll probably be working on that this week, reviewing pages for Powers Squared, and maybe working on a new list to query.

Well, that about does it for me. Keep writing and I'll see you here next week.

A Week in Writing #630 - Not a Great Week

Hope everyone is staying safe, and, of course, writing.

I will admit that this wasn't my best week in writing. I know I wanted to work more on Blackmail, which I did, but not as much as I wanted. So there's still some final touches to do. I don't know if this has happened to you but sometimes you just don't feel it when the time comes. And sometimes, you may feel it but not be able to get to it when you do.

I did look at the other book I had started before Blackmail. I was even making edits when I realized I was working on an earlier version of the book, so that was my sign to stop for the night.

Progress made on pages for the next issue of Powers Squared, but pages and edits come in at least four days out of five during the week. Good to see them, but they do require stopping and reviewing, looking at them with others and making comments. It's necessary but time consuming. I know, complain complain, but sometimes it's hard switching and then switching back, that's all I'm saying.

Our podcast this week was a look at the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise after 35 years. I'll admit it was mostly Paul and Trevor doing the talking, as I haven't played any of the video games, though I have seen some of the TV and the feature films. You can watch it on our twitch channel for the next few days, or you can listen to it here, or, as always, you watch it on our YouTube channel at 2:30 pm on Wednesday.

We're between Batman-related reviews on Trophy Unlocked, so it makes sense that the Saturday Morning Review this week was Trevor's review of My Little Pony: The Movie (1986), right? This comes after Trevor's Wednesday Game Day review of Sonic Free Riders. Of course, before that was my review on Monday of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. I'm currently working on a review of Haunted Mansion, the 2023 remake of sorts of The Haunted Mansion. That review will appear sometime in October.

Next week, I will try to get back to Blackmail and get that finished. And I'll probably take another swing at the other book, and hopefully come up with a name for it.

Well, that about does it for me. Keep writing and I'll see you next week.

A Week in Writing #629 - The Newsletter and Other Stories

Hope everyone is staying safe, and, of course, writing.

This was, of course, newsletter week. We release The Hound Dogs' Howl the first Sunday of every month, which is all about Powers Squared and related projects. In addition, each month we highlight twins in the arts, this month it was Yank and Doodle, now public domain superheroes from the 1940s. And we also make a recommendation, this month it was the video game Hi-Fi Rush. And there is also a special Heard Around Campus story, since this is after all, a school paper. For those of you new to Powers Squared, Marty and Eli are students at San Romero Community College when they discover they had been granted superpowers when they were younger. If it sounds at all interesting, sign up here and you'll get one next month, as well as a FREE copy of the first issue.

I know I wrote last week that I would be working on Blackmail, putting on finishing touches. However, I got the inspiration to work on a possible new script for Powers Squared instead. In this one, Jennifer finally learns the truth. It's a single-issue that I think would also serve as a jumping on point to the story. I'm not sure I'm finished with it, but I should be soon. I like to write and then re-read and edit a few times before sharing.

Work continues on the current Powers Squared, with our artist turning in the second page for issue #31, which is coming along nicely.

Our podcast this week, was a look at the Tenth Doctor, as we continue our deep dive into the Doctor Who franchise. You can watch it on our twitch.tv channel for the next few days, listen to it here, or wait and watch it on Wednesday at 2:30 pm on our YouTube channel when it premieres.

Trophy Unlocked was especially busy this week starting on Monday with A Celebration of 1800 Reviews, which Trevor compiles for us. On Tuesday was Paul's review of Buddy (2026), on Wednesday, Game Day, Trevor again, with a look at  Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity for the Wii. Thursday was Trevor's review of Coyote vs. Acme. And on Saturday was Paul's review of Batman: Hush.

I'm working on a review for October of The Mummy's Hand and wrote a review today of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which we finally saw today in the theater. Look for both in the near future.

Next week, it'll be back to Blackmail, finishing The Mummy's Hand and probably more on Powers Squared, as there always seems to be a new page to review.

Well, that about does it for me this week. Keep writing and I'll see you back here next week.