Home>2014>January

Month: January 2014

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Farewell, Kickstarter

Art by by Paul Slinger, Design by Rob WakefieldFor those of you playing at home, Farewell, Something Lovely didn’t fund. I can’t look to anyone else than myself for this. I will likely explore other options to try to fund my fiction writing, but for now, my focus is going to be on two things.

First, I’m about to depart on a rather lengthy trip. Suffice it to say, this place is going to be a little quiet over the next month. I’ll post when I can, probably about the second item of focus, but I’m not even going to venture a guess about timeframes, as I have no idea what my internet access will be like.

Second, I am still on schedule to Kickstart Nefertiti Overdrive. I have high hopes for this project, given that Centurion: Legionaries of Rome was a success and that whatever z-list celebrity I might have is from writing RPGs and hosting an RPG podcast.

A thank-you to all those who pledged for Farewell, Something Lovely. Your support is greatly appreciated. I hope you will all be willing to support Nefertiti Overdrive when that starts kicking in middle to late March.

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Kicking Something Lovely

Art by by Paul Slinger, Design by Rob WakefieldJust stopping in to let you know that SEP is going to be quiet while the Farewell, Something Lovely Kickstarter is ongoing. However, please visit that page, as I’ll be putting up articles through the updates. You can already find “Five Great Film Noirs” and “Five Influences on my Writing Philosophy.” You can expect to see “My Top Five Fantasy Fiction” and “My Top Five Fantasy Films.” That should give you a few recommendations to consider while you wait for your paperback copy of the short story collection.

Because you have supported the Kickstarter, right?

Please support the Farewell, Something Lovely Kickstarter.

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Centurion PDF Available for Sale

Centurion: Legionaries of RomeThe Kickstarter for Centurion: Legionaries of Rome has all but reached its conclusion. US and Canadian backers reported receiving their print copies before Christmas. Hopefully, even our international backers will have books in their hands over the next month or two. One can never tell with international mail.

I figured this was a good enough time to release the PDF of Centurion. The print version will be available on 1 Mar 2014, as that should give ample time for all the backers to get their copies.

Thanks to everyone who supported Centurion. If you missed the Kickstarter, here’s your chance to get a piece of the Imperial action.

You can purchase a PDF copy of Centurion here.

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Only You Can Stop Artist Spam

I just received an email from an artist (in France, to narrow it down enough so that if the individual actually visits this site – and I have my doubts – s/he will recognize about whom I am writing). It was a request for work with links to an online portfolio. So far, so good. I’m not looking for artists now, but if Kieron O’Gorman is too busy when Nefertiti Overdrive funds, I might soon be in the market for one (don’t send portfolios now, I’ll let you know when I’m interested).

But the email was sent to the individual’s own email address. We all know what that means, right? BCC – blind carbon copy. You use BCC when you don’t want other recipients to know the distribution list. That email was likely sent to a long list of publishers. I dropped it in the spam folder. That’s what it is, spam.

In this industry, the only criteria for professionalism is to act professional. And by acting professional, I mean acting in a polite manner and meetings one’s obligations. Money, in this industry, is not necessarily a mark of professionalism, especially given the extreme lack of money in said industry.

Spamming is not professional.

If you want to work with a company, email them directly. Take the time to find out if there is someone who makes the decisions regarding art, and email that individual. In your email, include some reference to the company’s publishing history, showing that you’ve done the bare minimum of research. Be polite, indicate you would love to work for the company, and provide a link to an online portfolio. Thank the individual for their time and let them know you look forward to hearing from them again.

I never fail to respond to these emails. Yes, I have always said no in the past, but that is because I really don’t need artists. If I ever do, I will not be hiring somone who spams me.

As the immortal Wheaton has said: don’t be a dick.