Shenanigan Report - Updates, Gatherings, & New Features

"Being immortal does not necessarily grant patience." - Gallowglas, from The Sharpened Edge of Fate

"Above all, don't lie to yourself." - Russell Geoffrey Banks

Upcoming schedule:

June 30 - Write Right Now livestream, Finale - Twitch
July 9-12 - Summer Writing Retreat - Roseville, CA & Zoom.
July 19 - Poetry Unleashed - Sacramento, CA
July 21 - Book launch - Tears of Rage 5 & Dragon Bone Flute 3
July 24 - 28 Comic Con International - San Diego, CA
July 31 - Final Friday Social Hour - Zoom
Aug 1 - Reading as a Contact Sport - Zoom

Last Friday, we had a small group at the Social Hour, but it was a grand time. I hope to see more of you this month.

Who is going to Comic Con in San Diego? Let's hang out!

If you're planning on attending the Summer Writing Retreat, today is the last day to register if you want us to workshop one of your pieces. Otherwise, you can register up until the 8th. Come and jumpstart your creativity!

For the continued schedule through the end of the year:
https://mtoddgallowglas.com/schedule/

Life of a Literary Underdog

Here's a brief, behind-the-scenes update on where things are going with my creative life.

Life has been a chaotic jumble of colliding events and choices. I decided to push back the publication of The Sharpened Edge of Fate and Legend of the Dragon Bone Flute. Sometimes publishing is like that, especially in the indie scene. I want to make sure both books are top-notch before I put them into the world. In the case of Legend of the Dragon Bone Flute, something about the finale isn't sitting right. Maybe I'll post pages of crossed-out versions to my Patreon at some point. Adding a certain character to Tears of Rage at the end of Dance Among the Lightning Bolts has definitely shaken up that series. I had intended that character to be a part of the main series with the first editions of those stories, but I didn't have the skill to add him. Thankfully, my skill has grown to where I can handle this amazing cast of characters and do them all justice. All you ToR fans should be jazzed when you see how a certain desert thief affects everyone's plots and schemes.

I haven't talked about it much, but I'm working on a TV show. That is, I'm writing a pilot. In my mind, it's a perfect blend of Community and Critical Role. I have a partner down in Southern California who's helping navigate Hollywood. So far this year, I've been to two networking events, and I have plans for a third the week before Comic Con. Last time, I got the chance to walk the red carpet. What a surreal experience. One of my mentors suggested I do the interview line next time. Better to get the practice in when I'm a nobody in Hollywood than after I get some notoriety, should any studios pick up the show. I'll keep you all posted. Send good vibes for it. Hollywood money would be life-changing.

In the background, work continues on the Wyrd Frontier.

So many awesome adventures, both on the page and behind it. Looking forward to seeing where they take us.

Market Updates

New Section - Every week, as I have books appearing in new markets, I'll post those updates here.

The Dragon Bone Flute
New Markets: Barnes & Noble | Apple | Kobo | Smashwords | Fable

Legacy of the Dragon Bone Flute
New Markets: Barnes & Noble | Apple | Kobo | Smashwords | Fable

Media Consumption

Reading:

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett for Reading as a Contact Sport - I'm enjoying the story. The prose isn't grabbing me, but then I'm a demanding reader. We had a great conversation about this one at Reading as a Contact Sport. Looking forward to finishing this one and diving into...
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman - This month's book for Reading as a Contact Sport. This one has been on my radar for a while. Figured with its popularity that it would make a great choice for discussion of the craft of writing.
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff - revisiting this to work on not practicing Taoism.
Dibs: In Search of Self - Recommended by a dear friend.
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi, listened to the audiobook narrated by Will Wheaton - So far, this is a solid-decent story. I enjoy Scalzi's Old Man's War books more than his standalone titles. (Except Zoe's Tale. I couldn't get past the first couple of chapters of that one.)
To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers, listening to the audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley. Just started this novella yesterday. I loved Becky Chambers's first two books. Couldn't finish the third. This one started well. Set up some interesting things. We'll see if it plays out.

Watching:
WWE, it's my thing. Congrats to Sammy Zane on his first WWE title win.
The Legend of Vox Machina - I'm really disappointed in how this ended because it didn't really end. It was pretty much unresolved conflict trying to disguise itself as a cliffhanger. Overall, the season was great; however, ended with a meh.
Project Hail Mary - Great movie. Had a lot of fun with it.
Avatar: Fire and Ash - I had fun with this one. Not a great movie, but okay. It's better than Way of Water. Set up some interesting things for the final movie in this sequence.
Supergirl - FUN! Great movie. Not perfect, but thrilling and enjoyable. Jason Momoa as Lobo is perfect casting.

Storytime

Messiah Complex

Caramel Sparrow has a messiah complex that follows her around like a little dog yipping and whimpering for her attention. All day long, pretty much every day long, they walk through the city. Caramel watches everything. Her messiah complex makes suggestions.

Once upon a time, one of the staff at the group home gave a big presentation about boundaries, and that hit Caramel right where she needed it. She used to try to help everyone whenever she saw they needed help. Most people could manage on their own. Some people needed help that caramel couldn't give. Sometimes it was okay for Caramel not to help if she wasn’t feeling it. Now, Caramel picks and chooses who she helps and when. By the time she gets back to the group home, she’s done all the good she can and does her best to ignore the yipping and whimpering of how she could have done more. After all, boundaries are boundaries.

Most people can’t see the messiah complex following Caramel Sparrow like a little dog. Most people don't even really see Caramel either, but for entirely different reasons. One of the unofficial mottos here is, it’s hard to be homeless in this city. It’s even harder to be one of the abandoned teenage poor who doesn’t look quite bad enough to be homeless. It makes them, not quite invisible—more like transparent, semi-opaque… noticeable only when it’s impossible to avoid direct contact or if they force themselves into another person's experience.

Those people who do see the messiah complex and hear it yipping and whimpering behind Caramel tend to watch it and listen to it a bit longer than they otherwise would, where it just a cute little doggy. They’re trying to place the breed, which is impossible, of course. It’s a Messiah complex, after all—not a dog. Once Caramel and the messiah complex fade into the background movements of the city, the person who saw them feels compelled to go and help someone in need. However, because that person hasn’t established healthy boundaries, they usually fall victim to the age-old adage: no good deed ever goes unpunished.