8/15/10
AUTHOR'S RECEPTION
Yesterday, I was given the honor, with several other authors, of
speaking at my local library about High School Heroes. This was
my first opportunity to speak publicly about my newest novel and
I must say it was a rewarding experience. While I didn't have the
book, since it still hasn't been published, I believe I was able to
create a small buzz with the 30 or so people that showed for the
event. I had many people come up asking when the book would
be coming out, and gave out my promotional materials - postcards,
bookmarks and magnets I've had made up. Along with that, I also
managed to sell a couple of the other books I've been published
in. So, I would call the event a success.
The event itself was cool, each of the 11 authors in attendance
were given 10 minutes to speak about and read from their books.
I told about where the inspiration for High School Heroes came
from, and I also read from the book. I read the chapter that's based
on the story that started it all. The chapter in which Christine
realizes she has the power to instill great fear in others by making
them believe their worst nightmares had come true.
Also, thinking now, I realize that in all my blog entries, I have never
actually said from where the inspiration for High School Heroes
came. So, here it is now.
I was at the Baltimore Comic Con, speaking to a man, whom I later
wrote my first story for, named Frank Byrns. He runs a magazine
called "A Thousand Faces" which I have written for, and will
continue to write for because I think it is an excellent magazine -
but I digress. Speaking with him, we discussed how there really
wasn't any prose fiction out there based on super-hero stories.
Sure, there's a few Batman, Spider-Man and Superman novels
on store shelves, but not many original super-hero stories that
don't appear in comic books. So, I said to myself I needed to write
something.
At the same time, I was trying to enter a contest in which I had to
write a story about fear, and was coming up empty. But then, I
decided, I could kill two birds with one stone. To be honest, the
setting of the story came first. If you've read my blog before, you
know I am a high school English teacher. So, when it came to making a decision about the setting of my story, I
chose the scariest place I could think of - a high school cafeteria. It's noisy, kids are out of control, there's
always the potential to end up with food in your hair or get into a fight. There is a horrific social structure that
only a high schooler could understand. So, then I had to create a character, and I had to think about why my
main character would truly be scared of the cafeteria, and that's when I came up with her mind reading ability.
A cafeteria would be a very scary place to someone who could hear everyone's thoughts and couldn't shut
them out. It would make one's mind explode. However, that wasn't enough. I wanted to take the idea of fear
literally. So, I figured with this mind reading ability, why couldn't my main character, at this point I had named
her Christine, turn it around and project thoughts onto people - and if she could do that, why not let her show
others their greatest fears.
And that's where it all started.
So, I told all this to the audience, and they really seemed into it. All I can say is, I hope some people buy High
School Heroes when it comes out. We'll see I guess. All I know is, when it comes to super-heroes, nowadays,
almost everyone's a fan. I wish I knew what it was about them.
By the way, I have to mention, my wife, Shelley, took the pictures at the event. I would be lost without her.
She's a better publicist than I am, and needs to be mentioned.
Until Next Time: Up, Up, and Away!!!
AUTHOR'S RECEPTION
Yesterday, I was given the honor, with several other authors, of
speaking at my local library about High School Heroes. This was
my first opportunity to speak publicly about my newest novel and
I must say it was a rewarding experience. While I didn't have the
book, since it still hasn't been published, I believe I was able to
create a small buzz with the 30 or so people that showed for the
event. I had many people come up asking when the book would
be coming out, and gave out my promotional materials - postcards,
bookmarks and magnets I've had made up. Along with that, I also
managed to sell a couple of the other books I've been published
in. So, I would call the event a success.
The event itself was cool, each of the 11 authors in attendance
were given 10 minutes to speak about and read from their books.
I told about where the inspiration for High School Heroes came
from, and I also read from the book. I read the chapter that's based
on the story that started it all. The chapter in which Christine
realizes she has the power to instill great fear in others by making
them believe their worst nightmares had come true.
Also, thinking now, I realize that in all my blog entries, I have never
actually said from where the inspiration for High School Heroes
came. So, here it is now.
I was at the Baltimore Comic Con, speaking to a man, whom I later
wrote my first story for, named Frank Byrns. He runs a magazine
called "A Thousand Faces" which I have written for, and will
continue to write for because I think it is an excellent magazine -
but I digress. Speaking with him, we discussed how there really
wasn't any prose fiction out there based on super-hero stories.
Sure, there's a few Batman, Spider-Man and Superman novels
on store shelves, but not many original super-hero stories that
don't appear in comic books. So, I said to myself I needed to write
something.
At the same time, I was trying to enter a contest in which I had to
write a story about fear, and was coming up empty. But then, I
decided, I could kill two birds with one stone. To be honest, the
setting of the story came first. If you've read my blog before, you
know I am a high school English teacher. So, when it came to making a decision about the setting of my story, I
chose the scariest place I could think of - a high school cafeteria. It's noisy, kids are out of control, there's
always the potential to end up with food in your hair or get into a fight. There is a horrific social structure that
only a high schooler could understand. So, then I had to create a character, and I had to think about why my
main character would truly be scared of the cafeteria, and that's when I came up with her mind reading ability.
A cafeteria would be a very scary place to someone who could hear everyone's thoughts and couldn't shut
them out. It would make one's mind explode. However, that wasn't enough. I wanted to take the idea of fear
literally. So, I figured with this mind reading ability, why couldn't my main character, at this point I had named
her Christine, turn it around and project thoughts onto people - and if she could do that, why not let her show
others their greatest fears.
And that's where it all started.
So, I told all this to the audience, and they really seemed into it. All I can say is, I hope some people buy High
School Heroes when it comes out. We'll see I guess. All I know is, when it comes to super-heroes, nowadays,
almost everyone's a fan. I wish I knew what it was about them.
By the way, I have to mention, my wife, Shelley, took the pictures at the event. I would be lost without her.
She's a better publicist than I am, and needs to be mentioned.
Until Next Time: Up, Up, and Away!!!
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