Join host Russ Colchamiro for this live Zoom interview with science fiction, fantasy, and dark pulp authors Hildy Silverman, Errick Nunnally and Alex Shvartsman as they dissect the writing process, discuss what works for them, and how they’ve evolved throughout their careers.
Howdy Gang!
I hope everybody had a festive New Year’s and that you’re starting off 2013 with a bang.
Liz and I had an adventurous holiday break with our little ninjas, including lots of family time, and now we’re embarking on that classic rite of passage known as potty training! We also squeezed in a few movies, including The Hobbit (2-D version), which was a bit long, but had a great last hour, and Django Unchained, which was bloody, funny, and a bit too long, but also good.
As for my adventures in writing …
Crossline is a go! I have indeed secured a publishing deal, so you will be seeing Crossline in both e-book and print versions some time in March.
Woo Hoo!
As you may have heard (from me), Crossline is a modern-day Buck Rogers/Flash Gordon-style space opera, with my usual philosophical shenanigans mixed in. To get this galactic joyride into your hands (and eyeballs), I’ll be working with the maniacs — and I say that in the best way possible — over at Crazy 8 Press, who have had quite a bit of success in their own right.
The boys at Crazy8iatics, including New York Times best-seller Peter David, as well as Robert Greenberger, Aaron Rosenberg, Glenn Hauman, Michael Jan Friedman, and Howard Weinstein have until now only published their own works, so I have the honor (or is that dishonor?!) of being the first outside author to be invited inside the walls of Castle Crazy.
I’ll have many updates to share in the coming months, including specific publishing dates, snazzy artwork, and, of course, where you can buy your very own copy!
And in case you were wondering if I’ll be doing any conventions and signings …
Russ’ Spring 2013 Convention Schedule
Okay. C’mon. Admit it. You miss me. Well … yer in luck! I’ll have a table, will be doing signings, and may also speak on a few panels at the following sci-fi shows in early Spring:
* Lunacon: March 15 -17, Rye, New York
* RocCon: April 7, Poughkeepsie, New York
If you’d like to come by, stop over and howdy-do!
Rumblings About Finders Keepers II
And while Crossline launches (ha-ha), I’m already hard at work on the first of two Finders Keepers sequels. No word yet on a publishing date, but if all goes well, we’ll be seeing our fun-loving goofballs some time in 2014.
That’s all she wrote for this edition. But stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks and I’ll be sure to have lots of new info to share about Crossline …
All the best,
Russ
Hi Gang-
With just two weeks until Liz and I jump off to Mexico to celebrate our ten year wedding anniversay — yep, it’s been ten years! Whoa! — I’ve got a special Finders Keepers update I think you’ll enjoy:
* As Finders Keepers continues to make its way in the world, it recently reached a pretty cool milestone. For those of you who are unaware, I was one of just a handful of 
authors hand-picked a while back by Publishers Weekly to participate in one of its new partner outlets — Wattpad.com — to post content online. The Wattpad Web site is designed to give up-and-coming authors a venue to post their work, and, ultimately, get discovered.
With a steady readership I’m proud to say that Finders Keepers has now reached and surpassed the 500,000 hits plateau. That’s right, readers have now clicked on to at least portions of my debut novel more than a half a million times.
What will this all mean?
Not sure yet, but either way I’m feeling pretty darn good about it. And — pardon the pun — the hits just keep on coming. Is it possible I’ll eventually reach 1 million hits? Let’s find out …
BIG BIG BIG THANKS! to Publishers Weekly, Wattpad, and all the fans who keep on reading!
* And speaking of Finders Keepers, I have now begun my initial work on the first of two sequels! Yep. At long last I am revisiting the adventures of our international and cosmic globetrotting knuckleheads Jason Medley and Theo Barnes, and already have a pretty good idea of the kind of trouble they’ll be getting themselves into this time.
Expect more traveling, more philosophical shenanigans, and, of course, my customary doses of humor, fun, and cosmic lunacy.
There’s loads more to discuss, including highlights from the 2012 NY Comic-Con, but I’ll be sharing those in a special edition newsletter real soon.
Until then …
All the Best,
Russ
Hey Gang-
It was a long, crazy summer on my end, and with that a lot of news to report.
On the home front, my little ninja man decided to make a jail break out of his crib last week, and wound up breaking his wrist. It was my first trip to the ER as a dad, and while I sure hope it’s my last, I have a feeling it won’t be! Little ninja man is doing just fine, and will get his cast off in about three more weeks.
As for my adventures with words and such …
CROSSLINE IS COMPLETE!
It’s been a long time coming, but at long last my second novel — Crossline — is done! D-O-N-E done-done-done. Coming in at just over 90,000 words, Crossline is a fast-paced, modern-day space opera filled with action, adventure, my usual time-bending, philosophical shenanigans, and of, course, loads of humor.
It’s a great feeling to have polished off this bad boy, let me tell you.
But rest assured you will see Crossline in print in 2013 … one way or another!
Yeah, baby!
FINDERS KEEPERS SEQUEL ON TAP
So now that Crossline is done, what’s next? Ooooh. Glad you asked.
While I work on the business side of Crossline, I’ll be heading right back into the lab and will be hard at work on the first of two Finders Keepers sequels!
That’s right. Your favorite globe-trotting knuckleheads Jason Medley and Theo Barnes will be at it again, off on another adventure where they try to figure out their place in the Universe without, you know … destroying it in the process.
My goal is to have Finders Keepers II ready to go by the end of 2013, so I better get cracking!
* MORE MILESTONE AHEAD
That’s all she wrote for this edition, but I can say it’s all but a guarantee that I’ll have another very cool milestone to announce next time. So until then, enjoy this fabulous weather, and to my Jewish friends, happy holidays …
All the Best!
Russ
www.russcolchamiro.com
@FindKeepNovel
Hi Gang-
I’m back after a bit of newsletter hiatus, as I had an unusually hectic few months that required my attentions on multiple fronts. But I’m happy to report lotsa good stuffing coming. The best news, of course, is that my little ninjas are happy and healthy, and in fact have their second birthday coming up in August, if you can believe it. Good gravy!
As for my writing endeavors:
* At the end of March I had a table at the annual ICON sci-fi event in Stonybrook, where Finders Keepers sales were a bit off from last year, but still posed a very strong showing. The questions I was asked most often throughout the weekend? When is the sequel coming out, and will a movie follow?
The answers are: I start the first of two Finders Keepers sequels at the end of the summer and …. I sure as heck hope so! I’m working on it! For an inside look into a potential dream movie cast, click here.
And check out some new integalactic fans:
It was also fun catching up at the show with fellow authors Aaron Rosenberg, Keith DeCandido and Patrick Thomas.
* Speaking of Finders Keepers, here is a recent compliment, one of the most passionate responses I’ve received in a while: “I can spend an eternity here reading this stunning tale. It was an addicting sling of words that spun a silken web around me, entombed me and I just couldn’t pry myself away from it.”
* As for my newest endeavor, here’s the latest and greatest on Crossline. I will be spending the rest of this month doing intense line edits, fine tuning every last word to ensure that we come away with a rock’ em, sock ’em ass-kicking space adventure … with my usual time bending, philosophical shenanigans included.
After that, I turn the manuscript over to my loyal, trusted and fabulous copy editor Barney O’Neill — who did a bang-up job in the same capacity on Finders Keepers — to ensure that there’s not a word out of place.
And then … get this sucker published!
* Last but not least let me give a special shout out to my beautiful wife, Liz, who just celebrated a birthday, and also to all the dad’s out there for a festive and happy Father’s Day.
That’s all she wrote for this edition. Liz and I are headed off next weekend for a much-need vacation to Spring Lake, N.J., where we’ll spend three days on the beach, staring out at the ocean, while my ninjas and Simon storm the castle, er … get quality time with their grandparents.
Until next time …
All the Best,
Russ
Hi Gang-
Welcome to 2012! I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday (which I know seems like centuries ago already) and is starting off the new year with a bang. (and apologies to anyone getting a duplicate here, as I’m still finalizing a new email template).
Of course my highlights continue to be time with the family. My little ones are a constant riot, dancing to music, building Lego towers that baffle my mind, tossing all the couch cushions on the floor and generally filling my world with hugs, laughter and smiles (when they’re not running me ragged!).
In the mean time, Liz and I have put our apartment on the market, and we’re doing some house hunting in New Jersey to give us a little more elbow room. So one of these days we’re moving back to the burbs!
As for my adventures in publishing …
* At long last I have Crossline pages back from wordsmithing buddy James Chambers, who went all out to find the brilliance (and clunkers) within the manuscript. I’m going full throttle (ha-ha) on my edits, and hope to have a finished, ready-to-go manuscript some time in the first half of 2012.
* Now that convention season is getting underway, I’ll be making appearances at the following venues this spring:
Lunacon, in Rye, NY, March 17-18, on various panels and schmoozing with the gang
I-Con, in Stonybrook, NY, March 30 – April 1, where I’ll be selling and signing books, and possibly be appearing on a few panels. Details to come.
* For you readers out there, I’ve been picking up an increasing presence on Goodreads (www.goodreads.com) which is really a great site for those of us who still love books (it’s like Facebook, but just for book readers). So if you haven’t already, drop by the site and let’s be friends!
* And last but not least, as Finders Keepers continues to make the rounds, I’m starting to pick up the pace on character arcs and key punch points for the sequel! So once Crossline is done, it’s back to the crazy world of Finders Keepers and those see what those backpacking goofballs will get up to next.
That’s all she wrote for this edition, but I’ll be back soon with new updates, and hope to have some more specifics on the panels I’ll be speaking on at the various conventions. Until then …
All the Best!
Russ
Hi Gang-
2011 has been a heck of a ride on numerous fronts, so I thought this would be a good time to recap the year, offer many thanks and give some insight into what lays ahead for 2012.
So as my hero Jackie Gleason used to say … and awaaaaaay we go:
* More than anything else, 2011 has been absolutely incredible watching Abby and Nate come alive. Abby will one day rule all of Metropolis, if not the Galaxy (and be a wonderful, wide-eyed leader at that), while Nate seems destined for the comedy circuit along the lines of John Belushi and Bill Murray, without, of course, all the personal drama.
Until then, they are as fast as ninjas and twice and smart, keeping Liz and I on our toes at every turn.
With a soft launch at the end of 2010, Finders Keepers made its way into the world in a big way in 2011. Among the highlights:
* Endorsement from Publishers Weekly
* National distribution contract
* Picked up by Barnes & Noble
And while the great reviews keep piling up, here’s my absolute favorite:
Ruled By Books reviewer Jaime Chambers said the following about me:
“Comedy writing in any form is hard to do well. The intangible stuff that makes people laugh can be hard to grasp and even harder to deliver. There are only a handful of comedic authors that I enjoy, tops among them being [best-selling authors] Douglas Adams and Christopher Moore. After reading Finders Keepers, I was happy to add Russ Colchamiro to that list.”
Here’s a link to the full interview:
http://www.ruledbybooks.com/author-interview-with-russ-colchamiro/
To be considered among the greatest comedic authors … ever? Wow. I’ll take it!
* With Finders Keepers in full groove, I’m now putting the finishing touches on my next book, Crossline. A stand-alone space adventure, Crossline is in the Buck Rogers/Flash Gordon style of space opera, with my usual time-bending philosophical ruminations that really give the adventure some extra layers of zing.
Good buddy and fellow writer James Chambers — who at one point collaborated with Spock himself, Leonard Nemoy, on some comic book projects — is editing Crossline, so I’m feeling pretty darn good about the process. Jim will be handing over pages to me any day now, and then I’ll spend the next few months staying warm, putting the final touches on what will be a rollicking adventure.
* So what’s in store for 2012? Oooh … so glad you asked! As noted, first order of business is wrapping up Crossline and then lining up a publication deal.
Then … I’ll be doing some conventions in the spring, where I’ll be signing copies of Finders Keepers.
And as I continue to promote Finders Keepers and line up that Crossline deal … I’ll start work on book No. 3 … the first Finders Keepers sequel!
In between, I’ll be out there on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads, trying to squeeze in a few blogs here and there, and chatting up my fellow creators along the way.
Somewhere in there I’ll also find time to you know … go to work every day, buy a house! Ahh! … and spend as much as time as possible with the family, which is my source of strength and inspiration.
Which leads me to …
* For this issue’s shout-out it’s a two-fer!
First, let me thank everyone who has and continues to support me. As I’m sure you know, this publishing gig ain’teasy, and there are days when I just ain’t in the mood. But your unwavering support and enthusiasm is nothing short of phenomenal, so to all who are behind me, my deepest thanks and gratitude. You rock!
Of course, Nate and Abby are an endless source of love and joy. My life has changed forever in the most remarkable way, and watching my children grow is simply spectacular.
And finally, to my wife Liz … who stands behind through it all, with my endless piles of paper and notes clutter here, there and everywhere. Since even before we met, she has always been the one. And while she may be my wife, she will always be my girl.
Okay. That’s all she wrote for this … year! I’ll be back in January with more updates, so until then … be festive, be safe … and Happy Holidays.
All the Best!
Russ
www.russcolchamiro.com
@FindKeepNovel
Follow me on Facebook and Goodreads
Hey Gang-
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so with the leaves changing and some gobble gobble in the air, here’s the latest tasty meal I’ve got to report about my adventures in publishing:
* About a month ago I went through a three-day span that had me super high, super low and then pretty jazzed up again. The short version is that I received an email from USA Best Books 2011 announcing that I was a “finalist” in their book of the year contest in the new fiction category. Sweet! But …. the next day I discovered that it was actually a bogus “contest,” and that unsuspecting authors such as myself sent in a $65 “entrance” fee to compete for their “awards.” Needless to say, I was pretty freakin’ miffed.
But with the Universe unfolding as it does, a few days later …
Ruled By Books reviewer Jaime Chambers said the following about me: Comedy writing in any form is hard to do well. The intangible stuff that makes people laugh can be hard to grasp and even harder to deliver. There are only a handful of comedic authors that I enjoy, tops among them being [best-selling authors] Douglas Adams and Christopher Moore. After reading Finders Keepers, I was happy to add Russ Colchamiro to that list.”
So now I’m being spoken about — in some circles at least — as one of the best comedy authors … of all time! Um … overall I’d say I agree with Jaime’s assessment! Ha!
Here’s a link to the full interview: http://www.ruledbybooks.com/author-interview-with-russ-colchamiro/
* Keeping up with the Finders Keepers mojo, last weekend I hung out with the gang at PhilCon, an annual sci-fi convention that has since relocated to Cherry Hill, NJ. Sales were a little on the slow side, but I signed books, hung out with returning and new fans, caught up with my fellow authors and made some initial inquiries about a possible Crossline publishing deal. Very early stages, nothing concrete to report, but progress nonetheless.
For my full PhilCon blog: https://russcolchamiro.com/2011/11/philcon-2012-fans-authors-and-the-bupkis-effect/
* On the family front, Nate and Abby are happy little monkeys, racing around and generally loving life. More and more Nate is developing into that Bill Murray/John Belushi-type rascal with the Jack Nicholson raised eye brow thing, who is also so darn cute you just can’t get mad at him no matter what kind of mischief he gets into. Meanwhile, Abby seems pretty intent on ruling all of Metropolis, which, at the rate she’s going, should happen any day now.
* And for this month’s shout-out, give up some big props to my good pals in powerpop band The Turnback, whose video for their single “Celophane Sky” went over the 100,000 view mark. Their album — in support of lead guitarist and film director Todd Gilio’s great little movie DRAWING WITH CHALK — is now available: www.theturnback.com
* And with the holiday season in full swing, here’s a joyous invitation to pick up your very own copy of Finders Keepers! It is readily available at many Barnes & Noble locations, and of course you can buy it online through Barnes & Noble as well:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/colchamiro?keyword=colchamiro&store=allproducts
That’s all she wrote for this edition. I hope everyone has a festive Thanksgiving, and I’ll be back at the end of December to wrap up with some final 2011 thoughts and well wishes into the New Year.
All the Best!
Russ
Hi Gang-
Hard to believe we’ve got Halloween in our sights, but with the ghoulish holiday coming up, here’s some scary good updates in my adventures in publishing:
* This weekend is the NY Comic-Con. I won’t be taking a table this year, but I’ll be there snapping photos, meeting fans, agents, producers and fellow creators, and of course, knocking back a few cold ones with the guys. I’ll be sure to report back on all the news that’s fit to print.
* OK. It’s major milestone time. Just yesterday I handed off Crossline to my editor, none other than horror, fantasy and suspense writer James Chambers (http://www.jameschambersonline.com/blog/). For those of you unfamiliar with Jim, he’s a writing workhorse, pumping out short stories and novellas seemingly every other day. He’s also one heck of an editor. In fact, in his former life, he once worked as a comic book editor, dealing directly with Spock himself, Leonard Nemoy. Jim also gave me some critical feedback on Finders Keepers, so I know Crossline is in good hands.
Jim should be getting back to me by around mid-December with his feedback, and then I’ll get to work on my latest round of edits.
* In the mean time … I start my prep for the first of two Finders Keepers sequels. I already have the main story mapped out — with a killer ending — and I’ve got notes and such to go through. But for the next two months I’ll be doing a lot of research and reading to make sure that I’ve got the right mojo going when I put on the full court writing press on the sequel in 2012.
* And speaking of Finders Keepers, I’m now in the planning stages for my next round of conventions. The way things are shaping up so far, I’m likely to be doing signings at PhilCon in November, and then Luna-Con and I-Con in the spring of 2012. I’m also looking to add a few more shows to my itinerary, but for now, I’ve got my hands full.
* For those who have been asking, indeed, Finders Keepers is available as an e-book, including through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as places like ebooks.com and many others. You can find it anywhere e-books are sold, and will work with any e-reader.
* And for this edition’s shout out, click below to read a very cool profile about my good buddy Michael Wolfe, a writer/actor/director/producer, whose debut film Maybe Tomorrow is in post-production:
Maybe Tomorrow is a character-driven study on the effects of a crime amongst friends that comes back to haunt them later in life. Michael asked for my input on the script, and I can tell you that you’ll be in for an intense 90 minutes or so of movie time when it comes out.
That’s all she wrote for this edition. I’ll be back next month with NY Comic-Con updates plus a few new surprises up my sleeve to share. Until then …
All the Best,
Russ
Hey Gang-
Now that we’ve survived tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes, I hope you had a festive end to the summer with a joyous Labor Day celebration. As for me, Abby is practically climbing the walls and Nate is venturing out with his first steps, so we’ve got quite the jungle gym going on at our place.
On the writing front, there’s loads of updates to share, so here we go …
* With a new wave of awesomeness in the works, it was time to deliver a new Web site to match. So thanks to the Web stylings of Mike Rende at SiteByMike, welcome to my brand, spanking new web site!
You’ll see that it’s neatly organized, easy to navigate and loaded with all the bells and whistles you’d want, including new reviews of the latest X-Men movie, the new Planet of the Apes and my take on Season 1 of The Good Wife, among others.
Plus ….. you can now buy Finders Keepers directly through my site! So if you want a personalized, signed copy, it’s just one stop and you’re done!
I’ll be making some minor tweaks along the way, but feedback on the new site welcomed and appreciated. 🙂
* Speaking of new stuff … the Finders Keepers e-book is finally out! With the distribution contract I signed it took a little doing to get new files created, but alas … look no more. No matter what device you use, whether Nook, Kindle or Ouija Board, you can order your e-copy of Finders Keepers through Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com and other outlets that will be popping up before too long.
* Believe or not, I’ve already got 2012 on the brain! The end of 2011 and leading into next spring brings an entirely new wave of conventions where I’ll be signing Finders Keepers, so I’m now in the planning stages for my next round of appearances. Check back soon and I’ll have more to share there about that.
* Also on the promotion front, I’m participating in some new Q&As about my crazy trip in the world of book publishing, so I’ll be sharing those as soon as they pop up.
* And now that we’re moving into the cooling air I’m putting the finishing touches on Crossline before I pass it along to my editor extraordinaire, so I’ll be making the hand-off by the end of the month. After that, I’ll finalize the manuscript, get that ready for publication, and then move onto book No. 3.
That’s all she wrote for this edition. Stay tuned for regular updates, be sure to check out my new Web site, and who knows? I may just have another awesome announcement to make before too long …
All the Best!
Russ
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