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 […]
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Know 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 […]
Read moreJune is Chock-full of Awesome
2015 has shown itself to be a banner year for me. Jeffrey Hite and I started our new imprint, Evil Alter Ego Press, our first book, Dimensional Abscesses was released and there are a number of big wins at work and at home. And then June rolled around and upped the ante by a considerable margin beginning right on June 1st when Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty (Amazon.com link) was released by Champagne/Burst Books. Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty (Kobo books link) is the first in the Jack Kane series written by JR Murdock and me. The book is a YA/Steampunk/Super hero/Adventure/Comedy mashup that was an absolute blast to write. I can honestly say it was one of the most fun writing […]
Read moreDirty Magick: New Orleans
Good news, everybody! Dirty Magick: New Orleans is now available as a Kindle eBook. This is the follow-up anthology to Dirty Magick: Los Angeles (which I also have a story in). This was a challenging anthology to write for, not because Charlie Brown, our editor in chief, is difficult, but because I haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting New Orleans. I’m still very proud of my story and hope you will take this opportunity to check out the book. You can find it at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W8FE3FS. The Kindle eBook is available now and the trade paperback will be out in two weeks.
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