In June I released my book, Scouts of the Apocalypse. Scouts is a book that started as a campfire story probably six years ago and has been one that I’ve long wanted to see in print. As you might imagine, I was pretty happy to have it finally available. It was only a couple weeks later that I got my first email from a friend asking me if I had seen the news about a movie with a similar title: Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. That was followed by the question, “Was it based on my book?” I hadn’t and it wasn’t. I must confess, I was pretty disappointed at first. And then I started to realize how different […]
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The Occasional Misfire
I consider myself to be a good speaker. I have done many book readings, presentations and convention panels where I have received positive feedback. I am able to (usually) think on my feet. So, when I was asked to both participate in and moderate on a panel about humour at the 2012 World Fantasy Convention (in Toronto) I accepted without too much concern. Then I saw the write-up about the panel. The names of writers mentioned in the write-up (again about humour) were names I had never heard before. When I Googled them, I discovered that many were writers from the turn of the 20th century. Clearly, the person who conceived the idea for the panel was either an ancient […]
Read moreThe Challenge: #7X7X7X7
One of my TwitterFriends, that magnificent bastard Argyle Hartley, recently invited me to take the #7x7x7x7 challenge. I have magnanimously accepted! The rules are: you post the next 7 lines after the 7th line on the 7th page of a work in progress and then invite 7 other writers to do the same. Sounds pretty simple, so here it is. 7 lines from my adult, sci-fi comedy serial, Champ McKay, Texas Space Ranger. The woman laughed. “Well, Ranger. You aren’t in Texas anymore. You are a little out of your jurisdiction.” “My jurisdiction extends out into the territories too,” I protested. I wasn’t about to let this purple woman confuse the issue. She nodded. “That would be very well and good if we were […]
Read moreKnow Thyself – Steps to Creating a Brand
I have been trying to create a “Michell Plested” brand for some time now. To date, that has included being active on social media, having a website and a podcast. It has also included the several books I now have available. But yesterday when I asked the question on Twitter what else I should do, @KevinWohler asked me who I was. He wasn’t asking the question as in, “Who are you? I have never met nor heard of you.” Instead, he was asking, “Who do you think you are and how do you want people to perceive you?” This is when I admit that I am lousy at self-evaluation and even worse at seeing myself through any lens other than […]
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