So, after over a year’s hiatus, ‘Outcast’ is back with Chapter 20.

If you’ve been following this blog up to this point, you know that 2011 was a rather busy year for me from a personal standpoint. It’s never easy to focus on the things you love when everything else in your life suddenly pops up and demands attention. The first half of 2012 wasn’t much better, what with a new career and a few other responsibilities that have come up.

On the plus side, the new job has actually reduced my stress level to the point that my creative urges are beginning to pierce the veil and worm my way back into my mind. I have to admit that it feels good not to be constantly watching things like my bank account or my mail for nasty letters. Instead, I’m finally in a position where I can focus on the important things.

That being said, I bring you Chapter 20.

IN THIS CHAPTER: Dalan wrestles with his conclusion about who stole the Ka’al P’ack and why. He also wrestles with the choices laid out before him: To confront the Clans with this news, or to continue on with his plans to eventually leave Bengalis with Te’Ki.

I still have a draft somewhere of what my last episode was going to be (no, not my official last episode before fading out), and sadly, it was going to be about reversing the barrel of so-called ‘New Media’ onto ourselves. That is, I was planning a massive call-out on people who liked to ‘raise awareness.’ You’ve seen these people around, waving signs and shouting slogans at gatherings and demonstrations. Hell, the majority of these ‘Occupy [insert city here]‘ is just that: displays aimed at raising awareness that there’s something wrong.

Now, I’m all for that. Red flags, whistle-blowing, and pointing out when something is bullshit is never a bad thing, especially when not doing something about the issue can affect any number of people. I guess that kind of philosophy comes from my working in my company’s Health & Safety group. At the end of the day, we all want to go home safely, knowing we did our jobs properly and that no one died on our watch.

But there’s another side to raising awareness. Like the other half of a golf swing, there’s a need for a follow-through, and this is where so many people fail miserably. Sure, anyone can sit at a computer, or stand at a podium with a bullhorn and spew out line after line of what’s pissing them off; that’s what free speech is all about. It’s easy to whip people up into a frenzy of anger and/or contempt…but what then? You’ve just succeeded in generating a metric butt-load of energy, but now what? You’ve pulled the proverbial hammer back…what now?

This was the core of the episode I was working on. I’d been listening to people like Jelo Biafra and Adam Curry at the time, and was growing more and more frustrated at their ability to stand there and bitch about things, but seemed to have no real solution in mind for what was pissing them off. To be fair, maybe they don’t have a solution and they’re looking to inspire someone to do something, but at the time I was just wanting the lot of them to just shut up. I got sick of listening to their constant complaining about how the world sucks and that we’re all heading for the giant corporate nation model of society.

So, what’s caused me to dredge this up again? What’s gotten me to the point where I’m actually putting text to screen on this subject? Three words: Pacific Coast Hellway

The team of Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff and Mike Yusi (From UC Radio) have once again taken to the airwaves to make us laugh, cry, swear, and in some cases ponder…which is what happened on their last episode. See, both Mike & Mark are passionate about music, and have watched as the music industry became more about the industry than it did about the music. On the last PCH, they talked about how today’s music had become ‘disposable.’ That is, many bands don’t care about an entire album anymore, but only in pushing out a couple of hit singles upon which they can rest their laurels. Hey, so long as the money comes in from one or two songs, why do any more?

There was some talk about how there are no more iconic bands anymore, save a precious few, and that without more present-day icons, that spark of inspiration that created most of today’s bands is fast going out. Maybe they’re right. I don’t listen to a lot of radio these days, so I’m not even sure what’s ‘hip’ and ‘hot’ in terms of music. What few snippets I catch though basically screams that mainstream music is on the express lane to Suckville.

I was about to chalk up the PCH episode to another one of those ‘so what are you going to do about it?’ shows that I was planning to take aim at on my own podcast. But then this morning on the way to work, while listening to the latest UC Radio, I had a revelation. Shows like UC Radio are doing something about it…they’re playing music.

I think the age of the mega rock star is fast fading. Having grown up in that age, I’ll be sorry to see it go, but given just what the large record labels out there have done to music, maybe this age has come and gone. We’re in minute 17 of the age, and instead of a quiet admission and exit, the age of the rock star is clinging desperately to what it used to be, only to find that their music no longer matters. In some cases it never did.

If listening to UC Radio has given me one thing, it’s exposure to bands whose music is infinitely better than most of the shit you hear on the radio. I was never a fan of ‘Indy’ music, but after so many years of listening, I’ve come to realize that despite what you might think, there are a lot of musical gems out there that aren’t getting the air play they deserve because of how the ‘industry’ works. The giants of the music world are looking more at their bottom lines, as any business needs to…but when your decisions can mean a gain or loss in the millions of dollars, then I can understand their not wanting to take any risks or rock the boat too much.

This is bad news for independent bands, so it’s up to shows like UC Radio and Saturday Morning Poke to get that music out there. If anything, we need more shows featuring more genres to help spread the word. I really think what’s keeping some bands from becoming icons in the music world is simple exposure. You can’t influence the next generation if no one hears you.

We’re in an age now where anyone with a microphone, a computer, and an Internet connection can have their voice heard around the world. Some may roll their eyes at the thought of podcasts and podcasters, but I honestly believe that keeping the spirit of music alive lies with us. If the industry leaders are working on a safe, enclosed model of what makes them the most money, then it’s up to people like us to become the ad agency. If you want to lose faith in the record companies, that’s fine…just don’t lose faith in the bands. If you like someone’s music, tell someone. Blog about it, podcast it (if you’re able). Know someone with a radio stream? Let them know about it. Know a DJ or two in SecondLife? Shoot them a note about it. The only way a band will get noticed if they can reach as large an audience as possible.

Damn…this almost makes me want to get back into the ranting podcast game again…

I think that’s why when people in the podcast novel ‘business’ get feedback, they’re completely over the moon about it. If you’ve ever written an author, you’ve most likely gotten the line ‘your feedback just made my day’ or something. That’s because it’s true. Contrary to popular belief, the inbox of a podcast novelist is never really that full. So every scrap of it we get is something precious and it does give us the motivation to carry on.

This past weekend though, something happened to me that for some might be cause for ‘meh,’ but for me…well…I think I just about lost it.

This past weekend was the first ‘When Words Collide’ literary convention here in Calgary. Now, I didn’t know this was happening this weekend. My friend, Aviva Bel’Harold (http://www.avivabellharold.com) had been invited to do a reading at this ‘thing,’ so I offered to come along to help support her because she’s becoming a friend AND she’s an author. In this day and age, if you can throw your support behind an author who’s trying to make it out there, then do so.

I had no idea that this ‘thing’ was in fact a con…much less the FIRST con under the name. I basically stumbled in on the ground floor of a new con! What was really cool was seeing some familiar faces from the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo there. I picked up a few books, attended some great panels on creativity, NaNoWriMo, attended a couple of release parties (including http://www.the10thcircle.com), and even took a trip to the university to see one of the largest HG Wells literary and media collections out there. As an SF fan, this was a kind of Mecca, really.

On the final day of the con, I got into what they called a Kaffe Klatch, which is a small gathering of people hosted by an author. I’d signed up for one with Robert J. Sawyer (http://www.sfwriter.com/), a rather prolific Canadian SF writer. We all talked about the writing world in general, e-books, libraries…all that stuff. I felt bad that it only lasted an hour, as I think we all could have taken up the rest of his con time there.

As we were leaving, I asked if he could sign a couple of his books that I’d bought; I’d missed him at his usual book signing time the day before. Just as he was about to, his phone rang. Turns out it was a rep for Dragon Con, asking if he’d be willing to stand in for someone on a podcast.

Right then, he turned, looked me right in the eye and said “Sure…I love podcasts.”

Keep in mind I’ve said nothing at this point…not even hinted that I was ‘in the biz’ WRT podcasting. My only identifying feature was my name tag. I told him afterwards that I found it funny that he would look at me and say something like that. I can’t remember exactly what he said, though I think it went something like ‘What makes you think I wouldn’t know who you are?’ or ‘I do my homework.’

GNERK!

So there I was, this wannabe writer in an ocean of writers, publishers, and the like, suddenly singled out and given the nod by one of the biggest fish in the place…I had a stupid grin plastered on my face for the rest of the day.

When someone who has an entire table at a con covered in his assembled works recognizes a name like mine, who’s done relatively little and in a niche-within-niche market…it’s a pretty profound experience…kinda gives one that sense of peer validation…

Which REALLY made my day.

The procedure went extremely well, and moreover the doctor who ordered the angiogram in the first place told me whatever obstruction that he’d originally detected in the MRI and CT scans is no longer there. His only conclusion is that whatever it was, my body must have taken care of it. Score one for the healing qualities of the human body.

Despite the discomfort both during and after the procedure, the fact that an aneurysm isn’t on my current horizon gives me back some sense of peace in my life. The headaches are still there, but I think that has more to do with my becoming sensitive to them after such an event. Hopefully they’ll fade in time too as my stress begins to fall away and I can get back to this crazy thing called living.

This boost is beginning to stir up the creativity again, so with any luck there’ll be some actual content in this feed soon. Stay tuned, and in the meantime check out ‘Enemy Lines’ by John Mierau, which you can find at http://johnmierau.wordpress.com/enemy-lines/

However, when your blog is being used with the expectation of having an audience (like this one), the blogger has a bit of a decision to make: Do they create another blog to serve as a vent/scratching post, or do they air all their dirty laundry to the public in hopes of some kind of vindication or sympathy? Some people choose the latter in this respect, and personally that just makes me shake my head and mutter something under my breath that I really shouldn’t repeat here.

Yet, when things get in the way of your creative processes and actually compromise that silent contract you’ve made with your fans, there is a certain degree of responsibility and accountability that exists. I say silent contract because while it’s not written down anywhere or mentioned verbally, the moment you present content for consumption by the masses, there is a responsibility to see it through to its end, or at the very least continue with it until you make the conscious decision to stop delivering. To that end, some notification of your plans to fade away should be made known to your fans so they can brace themselves for the end.

The reason I’m rambling on like this is because I know I’ve been silent for months at a time, posting almost never, and not really communicating with you, my faithful readers/listeners. I’m not trying to make an excuse here, but more trying to let you know what’s been happening to me and why ‘Outcast’ has slowed to a crawl.

In December of last year, the left side of my head exploded in pain while I was at work. It was intense enough that I actually had a hard time standing and walking. For the briefest time I’d lost my sense of balance. Needless to say I was scared shitless at that point, but soon enough the pain faded and everything seemed to go back to normal. I should mention I’d been under a world of stress at that point, both from work and from my new home, where my roommates seemed ready to kill each other. Add to that the increase in pot shots at me from my ex-wife, and it became a perfect storm in my head.

About a week later, I suddenly began to feel a tingling in my right hand. I thought it might have been an after-effect of too much typing/mousework that day (I work in IT/web design). However, the next morning found me in Emergency at one of Calgary’s hospitals. I’d lost most of the feeling in the entire right side of my body. I still had full motor control, but there was definitely something wrong with me.

I spent the day in the hospital, undergoing a CT scan, numerous blood tests, and even a spinal tap. In case you’re wondering, yes, a spinal tap is EXACTLY as painful as you’ve heard it to be…even with anasthetic and my apparent loss of sensation.

Since then, I’ve been back and forth to the hospital for consults with a neurologist. I’ve had an MRI, another CT scan, and was also in counselling for a time to see if my problems were manifestations of my home life. From all of this, it was concluded that I had what’s called a dissection of one of the blood vessels by my cerebellum. A clot from this dissection managed to strike a nerve, which caused my temporary lack of balance and my continuing numbness. They also found what’s called a pseud-aneurysm along the same blood vessel. This is a slight widening of the vessel, where clots can form due to lack of blood mobility in that area. They said mine was occluded, which means there’s no real danger there.

Since finding this out I’ve been doing all I can to get my blood pressure down to a normal level in order to help my body heal from all this. I’m back on my normal medication, and I’ve also been trying to move around more (walking, taking breaks from the computer, etc). It’s worked to some extent, I think. I’m still battling my weight as best I can, though it’s been a struggle.

On June 24 I’ll be heading to the hospital for a procedure known as a cerebral angiogram. Basically, they’re going to sick a needle in my leg, traverse a blood vessel leading to the back of my head, then shoot some tracer dye and take some high-resolution X-rays. This will be the final word in finding out what’s wrong with me, and if any treatment options exist. I find it ironic that in the age of the CT and MRI forms of diagnostics, my case has to rely on the oldest and still most accurate of diagnostic methods.

With all of this hanging over my head, it’s been a challenge to find the necessary quiet time to actually sit down and write. About the only time I did get was at the laundromat, which was a weekly trek when one of our main pipes in the house collapsed. When it rains, it pours, it seems.

I’m not trying to make excuses here…not looking for sympathy. I’ve been wrestling with telling you all this because I didn’t want it to sound like I’m whining or complaining. However, I feel as though I owe you all some kind of explanation as to the silence on my part. Those of you who’ve been so patient thus far I cannot properly thank you enough.

So, where from here? The writing is beginning to come back, though it’s a slow go at the moment. Chapter 20 is finished in a writing sense, but I want to hold off on recording it until Chapter 21 is finished. I can’t really give a definite date as to just when 20 will be released just yet, but I’m hoping for sooner rather than later.

Until then, you might want to check out a couple of other podcasts out there that I’ve been enjoying as of late. The first one is Alex White’s Gearheart stories, which you can find at http://www.thegearheart.com. The next is Tales from the Archives, an anthology of the steampunk world created by Tee Morris and Philippa Ballentyne. You can find it at http://www.ministryofpeculiaroccurrences.com

So until next time…thank you…and have a good one.

Tee Morris.

Admittedly for me, he was maybe number 4 in terms of people I’d heard of, behind JC Hutchins, Scott Sigler, and Mur Lafferty. I’m not sure why, but my first impressions of him were: upstart, arrogant, and full of himself. Of course, I can blame this early impression entirely on Mr. Sigler, who at the time was engaged in some kind of rivalry or something with him.

I’ve been a fan of Tee’s work ever since I first heard Morevi on Podiobooks.com. Since then I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword, Morevi Remastered, and have heard him on numerous podcasts since then.

The reason I’m bringing this up is because today, January 21st, 2011, marks the 6-year anniversary of when the first episode of Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe and Askana aired on Podiobooks.com. Let’s face it…were it not for Tee taking that risk and diving into those uncharted waters, I’d wager very few of us would be here today. Hell, were it not for Morevi, I can name several newspaper-delivering weekends that would have been unbearable.

So Tee, from someone trying to make his mark in this brave new world, I raise my glass to you…trailblazer…pioneer…and inspiration to us all.

Happy anniversary…sorta.

Well, after FAR too long, at long last here is episode 19 of ‘Outcast.’

As always, thanks to all of you who’ve held out and held on for me to get this done. To be honest, were it not for your feedback and encouragement, I would probably never have gotten off my butt and in front of that microphone.

IN THIS EPISODE:
A scare at the docks gives Dalan some inspiration to finally sit down and try to figure out just exactly why he was exiled, and uncovers what he believes to be the truth.

The question is, now that he knows…what can he do?

LINKS:
Contact email: outcastnovel@gmail.com
Blogs: http://outcastnovel.wordpress.com AND NOW: http://yo5.ca/outcast

End of Cycle for Sarcoma: http://www.angiosarcoma.org/
Shujin Tribble’s Flashback Newscast: http://fbnc.mevio.com/

Life’s been filled with several ups and downs for me, as well as I’ve moved yet again. Now, while part of me thinks it’s a step up in life, it also involves taking the contents of a 2,000 square foot basement suite and smooshing it all into a bedroom the size of a college dorm room. I’ve already downsized my bed (queen down to double), gotten rid of 3 desks and a stereo stand, and have even more paring down of my worldly possessions to do before I’ll be satisfied.

I’ve just recently dug my microphone and stand out of my half dozen or so as-yet packed boxes, and am working on setting up my recording ‘studio,’ as it were. I’d like to say that I’ll have something out soon, but it seems every time I say that I wind up being silent once more.

However, now that I’m slowly getting back into a kind of living routine, I do want to become a little less silent in the podosphere once more, be it either with more frequent blog entries, podcasts, and voice spots on other shows. I’ve realized that the only way I’m ever going to beat this whole thing is just to bear down and get it done.

That’s about all I can say for the moment. I’ll update you all when I know more.

All right…everyone comfortable? Good.

I’m not sure if I’m just the unluckiest S.O.B. when it comes to podcasting, or if there’s some kind of higher power out there determined to either silence me completely, or turn my desire to finish this project into a TV movie. The fact is, however, I think I’m cursed.

Those of you who know me know I once tried my hand at a general ‘rant’ based podcast called The Kick In the Cast a few years back. Any of you who remember some of the content of said podcast also know that I had a fair bit to complain about, from car troubles to my father dying, to numerous financial woes. What you might not know, though, is that each time I posted and episode, something bad usually happened in my life.

I thought that after the divorce and moving into a new place that I could finally be at peace with whatever demons seemed determined to keep my voice off the air. However, that wasn’t the case. Shortly after posting my latest episode, my work’s network crashed, and crashed hard. We lost a lot of data, and it’s been an expensive road to recovery since then. We’re stable now, but we’re not out of the woods yet.

I dunno…it just seems strange that every time I try to move this podcast along, something happens in my life not soon after that just saps all the energy from me. It’s almost like someone or something is punishing me for trying to succeed at this. I know it sounds corny, but I can’t help it.

This is not to say I’ve stopped writing, however. Chapter 19 is finished being written, and Chapter 20 is 2/3 done. When I’ve finished 20, I’ll be recording 19 for release (hopefully soon), and I’ll take my lumps as a result. If there is some spectre out there determined to make this a struggle, then I hope he/she/it is ready for a fight.

Ok…back to work.

Hello Outcasts. Just a quick update on things here.

First off, as usual, thank you all for your patience and continued support as I work towards the home stretch on ‘Outcast.’ I can finally see the end now…just a little further and it’ll be done. I’ve purposely been a little gun-shy about posting a new episode because it seems that every time I do, something bad happens to me. Yeah, I know it’s probably just a coincidence, but still.

Second, I’m feeling extremely stoked these days…and a little stupid like the title says. I’m stoked because Chris Lester, the creative mind behind the incredible Metamor City Podcast read a fan fiction story I’d sent into him some time ago. The submission was originally for a contest, and should have been read over the summer between seasons 1 and 2 of his podcast. However, as with all things, real life snuck up and well…you know how it is.

Anyway, I’m feeling a little stupid because here it is, April 21st, and I hadn’t updated my iPod for close to 2 weeks. Well, you can imagine my surprise when, as I’m scrolling through my MCP list on my iPod this morning, I see that ‘Rebirth,’ my submission, was on the feed.

Chris did an amazing job narrating the story, and while it felt a little odd hearing my words come from another voice, I still had one hell of a grin on my face for the entire bus trip to work today.

If you’re not already listening to Metamor City, you might want to check it out. It’s one of those full-blown produced shows with voice actors, music, effects, and a storyline that appeals to a wide variety of tastes.

So again, to Chris Lester I raise my glass in thanks and appreciation, and now…back to work.

After a few starts and stops, and a few more ups and downs, Episode 18 of ‘Outcast’ is finally up and live.

However, you’ll probably notice that only the Mevio/Feedburner feed has been updated…not the Podiobooks.com one. There is a reason for this, and it’s because of me, not Evo.

There’s a certain level of expectation at PB from both those running it and those who subscribe to books on it. That expectation, because of numerous personal problems, is one I have not been nor will be able to meet. While my scheduled completion date of the book is still feasible, the completion of the recorded segments in an orderly fashion is not.

Therefore, I have decided to not ask Evo to lift the restriction on ‘Outcast’ at Podiobooks.com until such time as I have all the remaining audio recorded and ready to upload.

My apologies to any PB.com listeners who might feel left out. However, if you’d like there’s still the feedburner/Mevio podcast feed, which you can find at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/podshow/outcast

And, now that that’s out of the way, here’s episode 18:

IN THIS EPISODE:
Now absolved of his guilt over his recent rage attack, Dalan settles back into his life, only now with the knowledge that his best friend, Tomas, is spreading the word to his trusted friends about the tiger’s status as an exile.

A few episodes back I made a plea to you to help out a friend of mine, whose wife died of a rare form of cancer several years ago. Alas, he fell short of the fundraising mark he’d set for himself, but not by much. However, undaunted as always he’s continued to fight, to raise awareness, and to inspire people to do their part in any way they can to help out.

Of course, people coming together to help fight something like this is by no means a new thing. When Joe Murphy passed away, and even before that, the podosphere was abuzz with calls to action for fundraising, spreading the word…everything social networking specializes in. The outpouring of support I witnessed as a result of that was nothing short of awe-inspiring…especially to one as new to the whole social media thing as I was back then.

Well, last night I bore witness to something so ambitious, I was left feeling humbled.

I was with a few friends on SL last night, and one of them had an announcement to make. Shujin (the man who lost his wife) was there as well, and the announcer revealed a fundraising plan so insanely large-scale that it was almost unbelievable.

The plan is simple enough: he created a small donation box (2 prims in size), and put out the call to every member of our little group (1300+ in all) to utilize their contacts to try and place these boxes all over the grid. The announcer set up a separate SL account to manage these donations so as to maintain the integrity of this charity drive.

But he hasn’t stopped there…oh no…

Every year, Shujin puts on an event in SL as a last-day fund-raiser for his charity (The End of Cycle for Sarcoma). These donation boxes will become active a few months before the event…basically when the Ride for Roswell starts accepting donations for the upcoming year. Well, along with the donation box comes another little present: A media box (I think that’s what they’re called). On the day of the event, this box will take over whatever audio stream is currently playing in the sim it’s in, and replace it with the stream coming from the fund-raising event itself. Someone generously donated a 1,000 listener Shoutcast stream specifically for this event.

Needless to say, Shujin was floored by all of this…as was I.

Even as we were listening to this announcement, land owners, club owners, and even a few mall owners were already making contact with the announcer, pledging their willingness to place one of these donation boxes on their land free of charge. As well, they’ve also pledged to talk up their contacts & friends to try and spread the word.

Based on such a huge amount of support so early into this, I’ve a feeling that by the time the event rolls around, Shujin’s team is gonna set a record for donations…all because of Second Life and the friends he’s made on it.

Not bad for a pixelated chatroom, wouldn’t you say?

No, this isn’t an episode post just yet, though progress has certainly been made on the next episode/chapter of ‘Outcast.’ It’s amazing how much energy one can expend converting a few lines of outline text into a full-bodied chapter of content. Mind you it’s not a bad thing, writing oneself into exhaustion before calling it a night. I mean hey…keeps you honest, right?

However, being a geek and not a nerd, I do have a life away from the keyboard & screen. Granted, it’s not as lavishly outgoing as some people’s lives, but it’s enough for me. So, in between the fits and spurts of writing I got done this weekend, I headed to this one Irish pub (Tipperary’s) in NW Calgary to meet up with some of my fellow Calgary-based podcasters. It’s a monthly get-together where we sit down, have a couple of beers (yay for Transit), and either focus on a particular subject or just shoot the bull.

The event’s hosted by podcasting veteran Daryl Cognito, host of Atomic Suburbia. In truth, I’m shocked at just how many Calgary podcasters there are. Of course, I tend to move in different circles from a lot of them, so I really shouldn’t be surprised. Most of the podcasters I’ve met here are real entrepreneurs, always trying to find ways to ‘monetize’ their podcasting skills. I’m not sure if that’s the norm for other podcasting groups in other cities.

Thanks to the cold, this past meetup was little more than a social gathering with only a few people. We all talked shop for a bit, had a few drinks, and headed for home after a couple of hours. There wasn’t much to take away from the meetup, save a few laughs, a potential job lead (Thanks, Eric), and a gift from my new hair stylist (Thanks for that, Rachelle). I also got to pitch to everyone a new product my company’s working on, which could potentially re-shape how company boardrooms are used.

Anyway, after I got home and thawed out – gotta love those minus WTF kinds of days – I logged into SecondLife to zone out for a couple of hours. After going through a rather lengthy list of DJ’s announcing the starts of their respective runs, I came across a message that left me just tickled. Basically, it was an ‘Outcast’ fan who found me in-world, saying how much he loved the book and that if it ever gets published, he’s ready to purchase two copies.

This person and I chatted for a bit after that (turns out he was in-world too), and it kinda dawned on me that used properly, Second Life could almost be considered a form of social media. Granted, it’s not as portable and readily accessible as, say Twitter or Facebook, but the basic principle remains the same: You can connect with people with common interests over the Internet. Of course, when you think about it, just about any MMORPG could be considered the same thing. While in the game worlds you’re expected to fulfill a certain task or quest, you can still just sit back and chat with friends with no real pressure to do anything else.

This is now the 4th time since I’ve started writing/podcasting ‘Outcast’ that someone from Second Life has let me know they’re a fan of it. Maybe it’s because of my lack of so-called ‘normal’ feedback from things like email and voicemail, but for some reason I just feel special for getting that kind of ‘love’ for the book. I also know I’m not the first podcaster to take advantage of Second Life’s reach to promote a project. Hell, my avatar still wears an Ionath Krakens T-shirt more often than not. Still, it’s an interesting feeling, being able to interact with fans like that.

I also got my first voicemail feedback call on the new line. I’m a little hesitant to relay the details of it here, mostly because I want to save it until the next episode. As well, another podcast author sent me an email, happy that I’m back in the saddle again, so to speak. Ah tell y’all…ah kin feel the luv in this here room, bah gum.

Other than that, I managed to get some recording done for the QN podcast, and another project I’m working on, all while plugging away at my own project. A busy weekend, but damned if it wasn’t productive as all get out.

As a result, my new voice mail line is 206-339-1069…not as dramatic as the NARC line, but oh well. Guess now I have to make a new outro for future episodes…

FINALLY! Hm…I seem to be saying that a lot, don’t I?

Well, anyway, after far too long, here we are again with episode 17 of ‘Outcast.’

IN THIS EPISODE:
Still reeling from the alley attack, Dalan is plagued with the vision of nearly ending Daro’s life. As he tries to reconcile his guilt, Te’Ki fears his condition is a result of her story, and accuses him of lying to her that everything was all right.

In the rage that follows, Dalan realizes something is happening to him…something he was not warned about. This event only compounds his overall feeling of helplessness, and he heads off to his training session to get some answers…

No matter the cost…

Ok, now that you’ve had a chance to listen to the episode (or at least download it), I wanted to relate a story to all of you about something that happened to me recently. Don’t worry; it’s a good thing, trust me.

As some of you may know, I’m a bit of a SecondLife junkie. That being said I’m not like some of those WoWzers out there, determined to spend every millisecond of my free time in some other world, but I do have a few places I like to hang out and chat with friends at least once per week.

Anyway, one of the places I hang out at is a virtual nightclub, and I’ve gotten to know the DJ there fairly well. (Well, as much as you can get to know someone in a place like SL, anyway). He does a few hours at the club every Wednesday, and it’s not just him spinning tunes. There’s fake commercials, gags, flashback news segments…the guy really gets into his work and I think it makes him one of the best SL DJ’s around.

A while back he put out the call for some sound bites, and after getting myself settled in my new place I decided to send a couple his way. One was an intro for his flashback news segment, and the other was one of those ‘This is a test,’ EBS warning things. Needless to say he was overjoyed that someone actually wanted to help him.

So I was at the club a few weeks ago just hanging out, and the DJ decided to play the EBS warning message. I think I’ve said it before how much I can’t stand to listen to my own voice, so I was having a less than fun time while this thing was droning on and on…and on.

All of a sudden, in the chat window, I see the following line:
Hey…that’s the dude who does Outcast!

Ok, so by this time I’m a little more flattered. I mean the DJ and the club owners are fellow Outcasts, but to see this kind of line from another club regular was nothing short of a pleasant surprise. So, after a few moments I typed the following:
*sighs* Yep…guilty as charged.

A few more miscellaneous lines of text went by, then this showed up:
Dude…that’s YOU?

The DJ told me later he had a hard time not saying anything as the patron slowly made the connection.

It was kinda cool to see something like that happen in a place where I least expected it. I guess it goes to show that anywhere you show your face, virtual or otherwise, if you’re in the podcasting game, you might be recognized.

WHEW!

After so long away, it feels good to be back, though being in front of the microphone for my OWN show feels a bit like using a muscle I haven’t used in a long time.

In here we have some more user feedback, a status update on me and the personal trials I’ve had to deal with over the past few months, as well as a couple of voice mails.

AND…we have a bonus musical track at the end for your enjoyment, as well as a plea from me to you to help a fellow podcaster realize his dream.

CONTACT:
email: outastnovel@gmail.com
Voice Mail: 206.600.NARC (6272)

LINKS:
Shane’s Art Sites:
http://www.einherjarstudio.blogspot.com/
http://shane-01.deviantart.com/

G. Howell’s Home Page (Thanks, Velan)
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~howellg/stories/stories.html

7th Son
http://www.7thsonnovel.com/7th-son-book-1/

One of those podcasters is a gentleman by the name of J.C. Hutchins. (http://www.jchutchins.net), someone whose rise to fame in both the podcasting and print world has been nothing short of meteoric. With a trilogy of podcast novels under his belt and a metric butt-load of PR leg work, JC’s put a lot of us other podcasters to shame WRT getting out there and promoting yourself.

But now he really…REALLY needs help, and no, I don’t mean in a they’re coming to take me away ha ha kind of way.

His first podcast novel, 7th Son: Descent, is set to be released in pulp on October 27, 2009. I, for one, intend to buy that book, as it was the first podcast novel I ever started listening to, and owe it to the guy to help him out. I mean hey, if ‘Outcast’ ever gets published, I can trace that right back to him.

But now here’s the twist and the meaning of this post’s title: Warner Brothers currently holds the option rights to turn 7th Son into a movie. Yeah, folks…it’s THAT…DAMNED…GOOD.

I follow JC on Twitter, and caught him saying that if he does a well enough job on the sales of Descent, it might get the gears going at WB to begin the production process. In short, more book sales = chance at a movie from WB that you actually might want to see.

How can we help? Simple: We’re the left side of the equation. It’s up to us to create that spark that’ll get the big boss bunny’s attention. From podcast to blockbuster movie…shit, this is UNPRECEDENTED, folks. This is history in the making and we can be a part of it.

I’m not forcing this; Descent’s not everyone’s cup of tea and I understand that. However, I’m gonna cast one hell of a net here and snag as many of you as I can. I’ve seen you guys pull together for people in the past, and I think we have the ability to give JC a hand.

So, if I haven’t lost you yet, here’s what I’m asking:

1. Listen to this promo:

2. If you’re interested in it, go to http://www.7thsonnovel.com/7th-son-book-1/ and either subscribe to the podcast or DL the episodes individually.

3. Give yourself the first 5 episodes to see if the book tickles your fancy.

4. If your fancy’s sufficiently tickled, email JC at 7thsonnovel[at]gmail.com and show him some love. Tell him Chris from Outcast sent you

5. Re-post, link to, or re-tweet this journal entry to your followers to spread the diseas…er…message…yeah, that’s it…message

6. On October 27 or any time thereafter, consider buying his book. Amazon’s listing it for $10.00 at the moment.

This is not for me. I’m making nothing off this except the satisfaction that I’m helping one of the podcasters who got me into this whole mess get some kind of reward for all his hard work. And hey, if it boosts my karma, then it’s a win-win.

Thanks for reading…

So, for those of you who’ve been following this little roller-coaster I call a life, you know that I’ve been going through the beginnings of a divorce, and for the past few months I’ve been living with family members. It’s been tough to live like that, especially after 10+ years of your life being a certain way. It was difficult trying to keep myself focused on things, as I was constantly bombarded with the after-effects of basically being kicked out of my home, dealing with loose ends, late bills (stuff I actually owed), and keeping up a strong work ethic at my job.

Well, I’m happy to say that things are finally settling down for me. On August 1st I drove up to my former home with a truck, loaded all my things into it and drove to my new place. Ok, so it took about 4 trips to get the majority of my stuff from one place to another, but the fact remains that now I’m 99% moved out of my old place. I say 99% because there are a few things we still need to deal with. It’ll come with time, and we’re both being as civil as we can about it. Thankfully there are no kids involved, and my new place doesn’t allow pets. Custody won’t be a problem.

One thing I have noticed, though, is something that I wasn’t able to really put my finger on until last night. See, I was goofing around in SecondLife and I was constantly having to tell myself ‘You don’t have to be anywhere…just relax. There’s nothing for you to do except sit here and enjoy yourself.’ I think one of my biggest problems as of late has been this feeling of constantly being rushed. You know; switch to a window, write/play for 2 minutes, then switch to something else…as if you’re trying to hide from the world what you’re doing. Doing that at work I can understand. Not too many supervisors feel comfortable with you taking a minute to relax your brain before diving headlong back into your work.

But when you get that feeling at home…it’s time to take a BIG step back.

I was on SL for over 3 hours straight, and only got up to refill my water. Other than that, I was focused on chatting with friends, listening to some great music, and just being there. It’s something I haven’t felt in a long time…relaxed…completely and utterly relaxed. I was actually able to lose myself in what I was doing, and didn’t come up for air until nearly midnight (which explains why I’m do dog-tired right now )

As I learn to relax more, I’m sure it’ll be reflected in my writing/podcasting. No longer bound by any real pressure, I’ll be able to open the floodgates of my imagination and finally turn that diminished spark of inspiration into the raging bonfire it used to be. Ok, that sounds hokey, but it’s true. I mean hey, the length of this blog post should tell you something about my recovery.

Anyway, with any luck the next episode will be up soon.

Until then…

Hello again, Outcasts and casual readers.

As you can easily tell from the previous post, things have been somewhat less than harmonious in my life as of late, which is why this entry is a bit of a double post. I’d completely neglected to talk about Episode 15 in this blog, and now that Episode 16 has been posted to both feeds, I figured I’d better get this place a little consistent.

So, here we go, the double post for Outcast, Episodes 15 and 16

In Episode 15:
Cornered in an alleyway by a group of unknown assailants, Dalan and Te’Ki are forced to see each other in new lights. For Dalan, he will see a part of Te’Ki’s shadowy past, while for her…she will catch a glimpse of what Dalan is destined to become…

And it terrifies her…

LINKS:
Email: outcastnovel@gmail.com
Show Site: http://outcastnovel.mevio.com AND http://www.podiobooks.com/title/outcast
Voice Mail Line: 206-600-NARC (6272)
Anthropomorphic Dreams Podcast: http://anthrodreams.libsyn.com AND http://www.anthrodreams.com

In Episode 16:
Having escaped the alleyway, Dalan and Te’Ki return home. Unable to keep it a secret any longer, Te’Ki finally tells her real story about how she came to Shonto…and what part Daro played in her life…

LINKS:
Email: outcastnovel@gmail.com
Show Site: http://outcastnovel.mevio.com AND http://www.podiobooks.com/title/outcast
Voice Mail Line: 206-600-NARC (6272)
JC Hutchins’ Site: http://www.jchutchins.net
Personal Effects: Dark Art: http://www.darkartnovel.com
Arlene Radasky’s Site: http://www.radasky.com
The Fox: http://podiobooks.com/title/the-fox

Here’s why: I’m getting a divorce.

For the past two months, my wife and I have been separated. I’ve been living at my sister’s place, trying to cope with the sudden downward spiral my life has taken. It’s worked to some extent, but I still sleep alone, in a strange bed on the other side of the city from what I’m used to.

We had talked about couple’s counseling, and I was more than willing to give it a shot. However, she wants no part of it and no part of me anymore. So, I guess it’s all over now except to start the paperwork, make arrangements for the common debt payments we need to make, and move on in life.

About the only wrinkle is my sister need the room I’m staying in for July, so I’m basically homeless. The wife’s offered to let me stay at our place until I can find somewhere, and I probably will for a few weeks until I can find a place I can afford. I was barely scraping by before; wherever I end up, it ain’t gonna be that big.

I’m also looking for work so I can afford to live alone a bit more comfortably. I’ve got a few leads out there, as well as some part-time stuff lined up. It might not be much to start with, but it’s a start.

We both want a clean break from each other. No drama, no arguments, and thankfully no kids. When I have a place of my own I’ll just grab what’s mine, what of ours I wish to take, and leave her behind. It’ll be hard to say good-bye after so long together, but being stuck in a loveless marriage is harder, I think.

So, like I’ve always said, thank you for your continued support and your well-wishes. If/When this thing ever gets done I’ll have to find some way to express my eternal gratitude for your patience and understanding through what’s quickly becoming the most painful time of my life.

Until next time…

I mean some days it feels like no matter how hard you try, or how much effort you put into something, there’s always a surprise waiting to either bean you with a reality snowball, or give you one of those life-wedgies that makes you wonder why you even try in the first place.

I’ve been living proof of this for close to 2 years now, and let me tell you it’s not fun. From financial headaches, to growing tensions at home, to now living with my sister as my wife and I try to sort some things out, I have been and am still going through a personal hell as of late. With the combined pressure from work and home, quite truthfully I’m amazed I’ve stayed sane as long as I have.

I’m not saying my situation is unique by any stretch. I imagine a lot of people go through this kind of shit on a regular basis, and deal with it in their own ways. What maybe puts a spin on my life is the fact that on top of all this I’m trying to carve out a space in the New Media sphere as well, which if you’re going to do it right, you have to make a commitment to it. Be it time, money, or whatever, if you want to run in the podosphere, you have to contribute.

Over the past 13 months I’ve had to work two jobs, both of which were extremely demanding. I’ve torn down our company’s website twice and put it back up, I’ve delivered over 100,000 newspapers in that amount of time, and I’ve pushed my pressure coping abilities beyond any semblance of a normal limit. I’ve seen sides of myself in the past year that I never knew I had, and in retrospect wish I’d never seen.

So you can imagine my initial reaction to a comment made by a listener to my novel when they say that unless there’s an update soon, they’ll have to unsubscribe to it.

Incensed? Sure…at first. I’ve never been one to take threats well, no matter how sublime or severe they might be. Now, of course this comment could have been made in fun…maybe with a dash of sarcasm thrown in as an attempt at a general nudge to get me off my butt. If so, then I waaaaaaaaaaaay over-reacted initially to it, but it does bring up a valid point: Should we take it so personally when someone unsubscribes?

Years ago, Scott Sigler’s podcast novel ‘Infection’ (the predecessor to ‘Infected’) sparked a bit of controversy from one of its listeners. In one scene, Perry Dawsey (the main character) threatened to hurt a woman. After that episode aired, one listener emailed Scott and said she was un-subscribing from the novel because of the misogynistic tone the book now had.

Now, to Scott’s credit, he reacted fairly well, stating that yes, his book wasn’t for everyone, and he wouldn’t harsh anyone for unsubscribing. I mean hey, it’s the person’s choice to subscribe or not. Still, I can only imagine the initial reaction.

I’ve looked at my Podiobooks stats off and on since putting ‘Outcast’ up on there, and while the numbers of subscribers have been increasing, so have the numbers of folks who’ve unsubscribed. Granted, the ratio still greatly favours the subscriber side, and for that I’m eternally grateful. 99% of the feedback I’ve been getting has been more than encouraging, and a real beacon to me in this rather chaotic sea I’ve been sailing in as of late.

I know mine’s not the only podcast to have people unsubscribe. People with infinitely more talent and a larger listener base must see fluctuations in their numbers that would make my eyes bug out of my head. I guess you need to have somewhat of a thick skin in the world of web 2.0, because not everyone’s going to necessarily ‘like’ you, and some may even drop your podcast due to disinterest or prolonged periods of silence.

I guess all you can really do is shrug your shoulders, look at your calendar, and move on. Unless it’s your main source of income, podcasting / web 2.0 work is little more than a hobby, and should really only be fostered when you have time and energy to spare. Should things come up along the way, they need to take priority and as much as it may hurt, you have to shelf your hobby until you’ve dealt with everything else.

If your hobby involves interacting with an audience via the Net, then the most you can do is ask for their understanding that there might be delays in content delivery because of life’s little curve-balls. I mean hey, for a while Tee Morris when nearly dark during his re-doing of Morevi for one reason or another…and his book was already written!

So, in conclusion, I guess I’ve answered my own question. Should I take it personally when someone tells me they’re unsubscribing? No. Just shrug your shoulders, brush it off, and get back to living. It’s all you can do.

And hello again, all you crazy, ravenous…er…Outcasts

So, after sitting way too long in a word processor file, I present to you Episode 14 and the second ‘Outcast’ feedback show. In this episode we have a few emails, a few voicemails, and some news on what’s been happening with me over the past little while.

I’ve got a massive amount of linkage for all of you to check out too:
Podcast Site: http://outcastnovel.mevio.com
Email: outcastnovel@gmail.com

The Beginning: http://thebeginingstory.webs.com/index.htm
Shadowmagic: http://shadowmagic.co.uk AND http://podiobooks.com/title/shadowmagic
The Aurora Hunter Novel: http://hunternovel.mevio.com
Skunk Smells Podcast: http://skunk.mevio.com
Niv Wizard Podcast Novel: http://nivwizard.mevio.com

End of Cycle for Sarcoma Team Page: http://giving.roswellpark.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=615&frtid=1277

Shujin Tribble’s Page on the Ride for Roswell:
http://giving.roswellpark.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=614&frsid=8323

Ending music is ‘Midnight’ by Fox Amoore, composer extraordinaire. Here are the many places you can find him:
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/foxamoore
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=KeyboardFox
Last FM Page: http://www.last.fm/music/Fox+Amoore
Online Store: http://www.freewebstore.org/FoxAmoore/index.aspx?pageid=118412
Ustream Page: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/fox-amoore-live

To say working on ‘Outcast’ has been a struggle for the longest time is a drastic understatement, and part of it is this seemingly comedic string of bad things that seem to happen not long after I”ve recorded and posted an episode.  From a $5000 car repair bill to my dad dying, to my current situation…it feels like someone or something doesn’t want me to finish this project.

Things, however, have really…and I mean really…come to a head.  I wasn’t really aware of how much stress I’ve been under this past little while, and it’s beginning to show.  Work, home, and everything else in my life has become this giant ball of anxiety for me, and to be honest how I haven’t dropped dead from a heart attack has amazed everyone, especially my wife.

To that end, I’ve actually started into counselling to try and deal with a lot of the issues with which I’m faced.  It’s a little embarassing to admit that I might have a problem, but I also know that acknowledging that something’s wrong is the first step to fixing it.  I can only hope and pray that going this route will bring me some sense of peace at some point.

Again, I want to thank all of you for your patience, your feedback, and continued support for the book.  I’m not fading out or anything like that; I just wanted to finally admit to all of you one of the darker reasons I’ve been so sporatic with my posting schedule.  I’ve been denying that there’s something wrong with me for a long time, and now it’s finally reared up and taken a large chunk out of my life…one I have to fight like hell to get back now.

Unfortunately, what this means is that the posting schedule will be about as spotty as it is now, but it will continue.  Heh…like the song says: Never Surrender…I’ll never be overcome (Disturbed: ‘The Curse). I know I have one hell of a battle ahead of me, but I know it’s one I can win.

I just have to fight it now…

Thanks.

Ok, so I really didn’t mean to leave all of you hanging this long.  No…honestly I didn’t.  I mean hey, this little book just got listed on Podiobooks.com as of February, so if you think there was pressure on me before to deliver…it just amplified.

That being said, February was a rather crappy month for me health and timing-wise.  Any time I had the opportunity to record the next chapter, I was either down with a stomach flu, or like now, I’m down with a wicked cold.  The end result is my voice is in no shape to record.

On the up-side of this, I’ve been writing like crazy to try and get ahead on my recording | writing ratio, so I can finally get to that point where I’m not rushing each new chapter out in order to meet some kind of regular schedule.  That’s been the constant battle for me since I started this project, and it’s certainly taught me to FINISH THE BOOK BEFORE YOU PODCAST IT!

Anyway, the new episode will be out soon.  I haven’t forgotten about all of you, and I thank all of you faithful listeners, as well as you new podiobooks subscribers, for sticking by me and this book.  Your patience will be rewarded soon, I promise.

Now…where’s that cough syrup…

It’s ok, it’s nothing bad.  In fact, I think this is probably the single greatest thing that’s ever happened to me since I started writing/podcasting.  I mean, I never set out on this journey to be anyone’s hero, and certainly not a role model.  Believe me, the Chris Hvidsten guidebook for a successful life is a one-way ticket straight to stressville, believe me.

The past couple of weeks have been nothing short of Hell for me.  The weather, finances, and the constant exhaustion I’m feeling from the newspaper routes all caught up to me early last week, and I felt myself falling into that pit.  You know the one I mean: The one where you turn into an overly irritable bitch of a person who’s about as friendly as the outgoing Republican regime.  I was certainly not in a good place.

Things are getting better, however.  The weather’s improving, and my mood is on a definite upswing.  Add to that my feedburner stats are climing almost steadily, and I’m getting the feeling that I”m actually doing something right…something good, y’know?

Then, this morning I get this little nugget in my inbox.  This shocked the living hell out of me:

it was the night i had it with the world i was going to leave this earth.
yes i said it but your podcast changed me.
what i didn’t know it but it was dalan.
his push forward attitude did it to me.
i was listening and said to my self wow wow this is art a great story.
i decide to give my self another chance yes you saved my life and thank you very much.
i was feed up with all this furry sex shit. but you have a different story now i am hook and i got a job too. wow my life went 360.
i have to tell you my dad was head to war to he going back to iraq i was so depressed i gave up. but you guy dalan his never quitting attitude lifted me up.

by life saver
–
form: bluehusky20

I’d love to actually quote this one in my next episode, but I’m not sure I can without getting overly emotional.  I mean…wow…just…wow.

I twittered a bit about this whole thing not long after I read it, and this comment came from one of my heroes, Tee Morris:

you have done what writers everywhere want to do. well done!

It’s really hard to describe how I feel about this.  Of course I’m grateful that this guy didn’t off himself, but to think I had something to do with such a monumentous decision…it’s just overwhelming.

I think I’m gonna trip off this feeling for a day or so to let it sink in, then I’m gonna hit the word processor like a man possessed.

Until next time…

That’s right, Outcasts.  Before the Outcasts, there were the Junkies, and I’m one of them.  ALL HAIL THE FDO!

The above poster is a promo for Scott Sigler’s new novel ‘Contagious, which is scheduled to release at the end of this month.   This is the sequel to his horrifying biological thriller ‘Infected,’ which actually won me a contest a couple of years back and got me into podcasting.

What’s that?  Are some of my Outcasts actually Junkies?  Really?  And…you want your fix now…like…right now?  Well guess what.  Our FDO has been gracious enough to give us our fix.  YES…that’s right, Outcasts and Junkies.  ‘Contagious’ is currently being podcasted at scottsigler.com, so you can get your fix and be fully committed by the time the book comes out.

Ok, bad attempt at Sigler-esque humour.  Anyway, just thought I’d send some love the FDO’s way, since it’s HIS FAULT I’m doing this in the first place. 

So…what are you waiting for?  Shouldn’t you be subscribing…like…now?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Hello once again, Outcasts. I know y’all missed me, and I missed all of you too.

At long last, here’s episode 13. This will be the last episode for 2008, and my New Year’s resolution is to be a bit more frequent with updates in 2009. Yeah, I know; I say that every time.

IN THIS EPISODE:

Dalan returns home from his first retreat up in the mountains with his Sensei. Though somewhat emboldened by the revelation that he is indeed a special student, he dreads opening that door and seeing that he is once again alone.

The question is…is he?

Promo: Niv Wizard: http://nivwizard.mevio.com

Additional music for this episode:
‘Consummation Opus’ by Amaran’s Plight
‘Alone’ by Brian Turner
Both these artists are available on the Podsafe Music Network at http://www.musicalley.com

Hey all.

Yes, I’m back again, and this time I’ve got a nice little treat for you.  Courtesy of loyal Outcast and fellow author, Marcus Noble, I’m pleased to present to you the first EVER Outcast Fan Fiction story…Rock Star.

It’s a glimpse of the world of Bengalis as seen through the eyes of a traveling musician, who lives a rather interesting lifestyle, and what happens when a one-night stand with a groupie changes his life forever.

WARNING!  This story does contain some graphic violence and sexual situations, so listener discretion is strongly advised.

—

Skunk Smells Podcast

The Aurora Hunter Podcast Novel

—

Contact Info

Email: outcastnovel@gmail.com

Website: http://outcastnovel.mevio.com

Blog: http://yo5.ca/outcast

—

Hey Outcasts.

So, here we are, back again with another episode.  Again, many thanks for sticking by the story, subscribing, and spreading the word.  I really appreciate it.

IN THIS EPISODE:

It is the time of Dalan’s first retreat with his Sensei.  To date, he still hasn’t told Te’Ki about his training for fear of scaring her away.  Now, though, as the impending retreat looms, he finds himself unable to avoid telling her any longer.

The question is, will she still be there when he returns…

Hey there.

So, once again I let nearly a month go by without any kinds of updates here.  You’d think with the amount of spare time I have during the day (in between performing IT miracles), I’d be able to jot down any number of random thoughts here.  Not so, I guess; it seems that updating a blog is almost secondary to me.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy blogging, if enjoying it is something that can actually be done without being considered and uber-nerd.  I think part of it is the fact that my creative reservoir can only hold so much, and when I do something like a podcast, by the end of the process my mind is like a bubbling mass of grey goop.  As a result, the blog posts don’t always sync up with episode releases, etc.

That being said, this post is, hopefully, the start of some more frequent updates.  Granted I don’t think I’ll ever be as prolific a blogger as JC Hutchins, who seems to announce new posts on his MINE account every few minutes, but I can try to be a little more forthcoming about things…maybe get some opinions on any current writing endeavours…we’ll see.

Actually, as I’m writing this, Audacity is crunching away on the latest ‘Outcast’ episode.  Yes, that’s right; I’ve finally got Chapter 12 all nice and polished up for your listening pleasure.  No small feat, either; take away the opening and closing jibber-jab, and you’re left with close to 44 minutes of pure story.  At this rate, I’ll be overtaking Tee Morris for longest podcast episodes.

Before that, though, you may have noticed in your feed that I posted two other things there.  The first was something I was inspired to do the day after my family and I scattered my dad’s ashes in the water.  Originally I was just going to put it in my other show, but I figured it belonged here too…kind of a way to explain just what the hell’s been going on with me for so long.

Not long after I posted that, I also posted a new promo for ‘Outcast,’ which has been played on a couple of podcasts already.  I’ve been meaning to update that thing for a while, so this has been a long time coming. I’ve placed the promo on its own page, which you can access on the sidebar.

And then, finally, there’s the feedback episode, which I’ve been promising to put out since Episode 11.  I feel kinda fortunate, actually, that I managed to get enough feedback to justify making such a show.  I guess that’s my own self-delusional way of figuring I’ve made it.

So that pretty much brings y’all up to speed on what I’ve been up to lately.  I think things are starting to calm down a little bit now with regards to my life in general…that should mean I can get back into writing more and getting ‘Outcast’ out more frequently.  Judging from the feedback I’ve been getting, you’re all liking the story, and I can’t overstate how much I appreciate your patience in between updates.  I just wish there was more I could do for all of you.

So stay tuned, folks…looks like Audacity’s done its thing, so it’s time to get ‘er on the feed.

Until next time…

Anywho, while getting caught up on it, I stumbled across a couple of interesting links that came down in the feed…namely these:

Both of these fine books were inserted into the MOREVI feed as FULL NOVELS!  I mean holy crap!  Two books I’ve been itching to get into, and here they are for free.

It’s all part of an upcoming event, which if you’re reading this you probably already know about.  On August 8 of this year, Tee Morris and his partner in podcast crime, Phillipa Ballentyne, are both releasing their latest literary works.  They plan to do to Amazon’s ratings what Scott Sigler did with his novel, Ancestor.

Originally called ‘Billi’s Crazy 8′s,’ the event has now been changed to ‘Double Trouble,’ which promises to shake up the mainstream once again.  I wish them all the best, and hope to be in there like a dirty shirt with the best of them, adding my orders to all the others.

OUTCASTS!

Damn it’s good to be back.  Thank you so much for hanging in there and hopefully spreading th word about the novel.

No promos today, and no listener feedback THIS TIME.  I promise, though, there will be a quick feedback episode soon (probably next week), where I’ll read any email and play any voicemails I’ve gotten in response to Episode 10 and hopefully Episode 11.

—

IN TODAY’S EPISODE…

Dalan’s Grandfather, Won Ch’ang Kalamar, has made an unexpected visit to Dalan’s dwelling, where he mistakenly took Te’Ki for an intruder, and nearly paid with his life for trying to harm her.  Now that the dust has settled, the two exiles now listen as Dalan’s Elder tells reveals to them a bit about his past, and lets our favourite tiger know that there may be more to his exile than meets the eye.

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LINKS:

Website: http://outcastnovel.mevio.com

Blog: http://yo5.ca/outcast

Email: outcastnovel@gmail.com

Jason Fredin’s Blog: http://www.jasonfredin.com

And hello again my fellow Outcasts!

It’s been a while (as usual), but here we are at Episode 10…hey…we hit double digits! WOO HOO!

Thanks to all of you loyal listeners who keep downloading and listening to the show. I’m still doing this because of all of you, so thank you so much.

IN THIS EPISODE: Dalan and his patient begin to learn about each other’s lives, and our hero soon develops feelings for her. Just when things are about to get interesting…

Wanna know more? Listen

CONTACT INFO:

Show Site: http://outcastnovel.mevio.com

Blog: http://yo5.ca/outcast

Feedback: outcastnovel@gmail.com

PROMO:
7th Son: OBSIDIAN – http://www.jchutchins .net

For one thing, I was contacted by a fellow podcaster, one Marcus Noble, and he wants to interview me for his show, the Skunk Smells Podcast. It’s a rant-styled show, and he’s been doing it for a couple of years now.  In truth, I’m honoured that he’d even consider me for an interview.

Anyway, I was driving to work this morning, thinking to myself how the interview will go and I thought about all the work I did on TheForce.Net, and the unfinished story that’s up there on the Fan Fiction boards.  The truth is, the end of that story is in my head…I just have to write it down and upload it…that is, if anyone was still watching it.

I dunno.  I mean I had some good times on those boards.  It was the first place anyone ever had a chance to see my writings, and I met some awesome people.  The trouble is, as other writers finished their works, they all faded away from the boards and getting new readers was kinda tough.  I mean, when you pick an insertion point to start writing, and the books have already eradicated your timeline, do the stories even make sense anymore?

Part of me wants to continue with the SW fanfics and eventually finish the series I’d planned out, but another part of me is saying it’s time to move on and concentrate on other things.  I’m really torn on this.

I think I’ll take a crack at it this weekend, and see if I can make any headway on the unfinished story.  Who knows?  It might help grease the wheels a bit on my current writing projects.  I dunno…we’ll see what happens.

While the clones battled with their progenitor, John Alpha, much of America was left powerless after a series of nuclear strikes against the country’s major power stations.  The result:  Total and utter chaos.

In this time of anarchy, sides will be taken, heroes and villains alike will rise and do battle.  From democracy to dystopia, the common American now faces an all-too-uncommon challenge:  Survival on a primal level.

Welcome…to 7th Son…OBSIDIAN

Call it the ultimate fanfic project if you want, but as far as I’m concerned I can’t WAIT until this drops.  Basically, OBISIDIAN is a series of short stories set in the 7th Son universe, right at the time when America goes dark.  I’m assuming a lot of the stories will deal with ordinary people suddenly thrust into a nightmarish world where everyone’s out for themselves and to hell with anyone who stands in their way.

Kinda like the corporate culture, but with guns and chainsaws and the like…I hope.

I’m not sure what to expect, but given the list of people who’ve already submitted stuff for it, OBSIDIAN’s looking to be just golden.  Hmmm…I wonder if a wannabe like me could get in on it…

I mean, how can you go wrong?  Check out this rogue’s gallery of participants:

• Michael A. Stackpole
• Scott Sigler
• Tee Morris
• Mur Lafferty
• Matt Wallace
• Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff
• Christiana Ellis
• Evo Terra
• Dan Klass
• Wichita Rutherford
• TD-0013
• Soccergirl
• The cast of The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
• George Hrab

Need I say more?

You can check out the promo here, and remember on May 31…the lights will go out…

And chaos will reign…

As a lot of you might know, that multimedia giant we call Podshow has changed its name to Mevio.  Odd I had to hear this from one guy on Twitter, and from Adam during his latest Daily Source Code.  Meh; maybe I’ll get the email next week

Now, while a lot of people are looking at this and merely thinking ‘Yeah…and?’  I thought it’d be prudent of me to make a few changes to my feed info over at Feedburner, which is the URL I pimp when I record.

Anyway, while I don’t foresee any major problems with Podshow’s re-branding WRT my feeds, I just thought I’d let all my Outcasts know what’s going on just in case the feed seems to hiccup.

Oh, and also, I’ve got something to show you:

HUGE props to Jason Fredin, who I met on the Word Sushi forums and who offered to help with a cover for the book.  (Note to self: GIVE HIM CREDIT NEXT EPISODE!)  Thanks a bunch, Jason.

Hello to all you Outcasts out there!

Well, it took some time, but Episode 9 is now live.

In this episode, Dalan begins his new life as a dockworker, as well as a student of his planet’s deadliest martial art. While his hopes try to remain strong, he soon learns that the hatred of the exiles isn’t limited to just the Clans…

PROMOS:

Space Casey by Christiana Ellis

SOBCon

Whew…talk about a grinder.

Well, now that February’s gone, and a lot of crap is behind me, it’s time to get back into this show.

In this episode, Dalan starts trying to put his otherwise shattered life back on track.  He looks for work, and learns a bit more about how the non-Clan populace feels about exiles.  Also, he finds a new purpose in his life, and it involves the cougar he’d taken in the night before.

No promos this week, but there is a voicemail from a faithful listener.  Thanks so much for that.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that due to a surgical procedure on the part of my better half, any hopes and dreams of getting a show off last weekend went crashing down in flames.  However, I remain confident that I can get something off this weekend.

Thanks.

Just wanted to let y’all know that I’m currently pounding away mercilessly at my keyboard, trying to tweak up the next episode to have the same quality all you Outcast fans have come to expect. After all, what good a host would I be if I only did things half-assed, hm?

I’ve got a few things happening this week that seem determined to delay this next episode even further, but I’m gonna fight like hell to make sure that doesn’t happen. Other things are happening that are also giving me incentive to keep going with the book, which may someday find itself in print if I can get enough fans.

So keep the faith, folks…more ‘Outcast’ is on its way. Until then…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Back from Christmas vacation and FIRED UP as hell, and feeling especially good because Episode 7 is now live.  I think you’ll like this one; not to sound conceited or anything, but I think it’s one of my better-produced episodes.  This project’s as much a journey as it is a novel, so if the quality improves as the chapters progress, then I must be doing my job right.

In this Episode:

Still reeling from last night’s horrific ordeal, Dalan is paid a visit by someone who has an offer for him…one that could ultimately make him rise above his current state of exile and become something not seen on Bengalis in ages.

But to gain this, he has to mend a few fences…and along the way life takes yet another unexpected turn…

At the end of the episode I’ve got a couple of promos.  Please check out the shows and tell ‘em I sent ya

The Metamor City Podcast

Transistor Rodeo

Ok, so this is another one of those ‘already announced it’ moments, but hey, I’m trying to keep this blog up to date.

Anyway, that master podcaster from Calgary…the aging hipster himself…the podcast bandito, Daryl Cognito, has listed ‘Outcast’ on podCALGARY.org.

This is also the first podcast novel to be listed on that site, so go me! YAY!

Daryl also put together one hell of a blog entry about listing ‘Outcast’ too, and I’m both flattered and honoured by his comments. Check it out here.

Daryl is the host of one of the best podcasts I’ve ever listened to, Atomic Suburbia.

In this Episode:

Dalan sets off to meet the group known as ‘The Foundation,’ an apparent support system for exile like himself.  At first, he hopes that perhaps he can find a way to either make an honest living, or perhaps find out anything on who stole the Ka’al P’ack from him over a year ago.

Instead, he learns a few more things about being an exile…and just how dark the Clans’s darker side trule is.

Anyone who’s been following me on Twitter (KChrisH) will know this is the ‘I hate myself’ episode of ‘Outcast,’ and you’ll see why near the end…just, y’know, don’t skip all the way there, ’cause you’ll miss the other goodness inside.

In this Episode:

Dalan is now on his own…exiled from his family and warned to never set foot on Clan lands again under pain of death. He wakes up in his new home and sets about trying to put his life back together. As he does so, he learns that being an exile doesn’t necessarily mean being alone…

Hey, I’ve got a voicemail line now YAY!: 206-666-2912

PROMOS…WE’VE GOT PROMOS!
Scott Sigler’s Nocturnal

Playing for Keeps by Mur Lafferty

Crescent by Phill Rossi

In this Episode:

After spending a year in a coma, and a month in rehabilitation, Dalan is finally heading home to his family. However, what’s waiting for him when he arrives is something he could never have imagined in his worst nightmare.

In this Episode:

Dalan’s recovery continues, but the implants placed in him to allow him to move again have had an unforeseen side-effect. The result of this is both a blessing to the young tiger, and a curse with which he’ll have to live for the rest of his life.

But not necessarily alone.

The Story So Far:

Dalan Kalamar, a young tiger and Clansman, has been attacked and left for dead by four thieves, who’ve stolen from him an artifact won by his father. Rather than kill him, the thieves have severed the muscles from his limbs and have left him to bleed out on the ground, unable to move or call for help.

Yes, Dalan’s fate seems certain…but sometimes…the universe blinks.
—
Promo: Aurora Hunter Podcast by Marcus Noble
—
LINKS:

Outcast Novel Site

Aurora Hunter Site

In this Episode:

And so we begin the saga of Dalan Kalamar, the cub forced into a dark, cruel world determined to wipe him out if he’s not careful.

Welcome to the first episode of ‘Outcast.’

Ok, I think I’ve said it enough. Welcome to the official blog of my podcast novel ‘Outcast.’

Here’s where I plan to keep all you faithful followers of the story up to date on any goings-on, issues, and other news blurbs that may pop up in between episodes.

For those of you looking at this and going ‘What is this fool talking about?’ I’d like to spend some time here and give all of you a bit of a FAQ on ‘Outcast’ and how it came about. So…here we go…

—

What is ‘Outcast?’

‘Outcast’ is a podcast novel written and read by me, Chris.

What’s it about?

‘Outcast’ is the story of a young man who is disowned by his family for failing to protect something awarded to his father. Now separated from the only life he’s ever known, he has to try and find a way to survive in a world now seemingly bent on killing him.

Where does it take place?

The setting of ‘Outcast’ is the far future. By now, a good portion of the galaxy has been explored, and many worlds have come together under the flag of the Interstellar Confederation, or ‘IC.’ ‘Outcast’ takes place on a Confederation world called Bengalis by its inhabitants. It is the 7th planet in the Tigris star system.

So, the characters aren’t human?

Not exactly. The race on the planet, strangely enough, are known as Bengalans. Basically, they’re a type of anthropomorphic feline race. They’re bipedal, have plantigrade feet, and five-fingered hands with opposable thumbs. After that, though, the similarites end. They’re covered head to toe in fur, and their cranial structure is definitely feline.

Oooh, so they have tails?

Sorry…no.

Awww…Claws?

Of course.

How did the story come about?

The idea for the main character, Dalan Kalamar, is actually a very old one. He was a character I’d made for a role-playing game back in University. He’s loosely based on the AD&D rakshasa, and over time he evolved in my head into the character he is now.

This story – the one of his exile – is a relatively new idea, though. My first few stories with Dalan were so gory even the great gore-master Scott Sigler would have found himself queezy. However, as he evolved and I spent more time with him, he became less of a blood-and-guts killer type of character, and more rounded. Sure, he can still be violent as hell, but he has more dimension now than before.

Wait a second…I think I’ve read this before, but it was a lot more…ahem…adult. WTF?

You’re right; this isn’t the first public incarnation of this story. ‘Outcast’ began as a bit raunchier tale called ‘Childhood’s End,’ parts of which have bee posted both on Yiffstar.Com and The Drunken Gungan websites. Admittedly, the versions there are slightly more adult in nature, but for ‘Outcast’ I wanted to focus on the story and not the sex…hence the PG-ification of the story.

—

Ok…I think for an opening post, this is pretty good. I’ll put in some summaries for the chapters that are already on the feed next, I think. Any questions, comments, or anything, just let me know.

Thanks.