Outcast – Episode 16.5

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/

Episode 16.5

The Movie the People Made

My podcasting voice has been silent for quite some time owing to different things in my life, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still in the mix of it all. I keep up to date with some of my favourite podcasters and how they’re careers in this wonderful web 2.0 world are going.

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…

Settling Down

Ok, so yet another long time in between posts. I’m hoping that with this entry the frequency of posts here will increase substantially.

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…

Outcast – Episodes 15 and 16

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
Episode 15

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
Episode 16

Time to Come Clean…

I think it’s time I cleared the air here and let all of you know why things have been so silent on my end from a podcasting perspective. It’s the least I can do for those of you who’ve taken the time out of your lives to give my stuff a listen and ask for more. More is coming, but it may take a bit more time.

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…

Should I Take This Personally?

Let’s face it: Life can, and often does, stink.

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.

Outcast – Episode 14.5

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

So, after sitting way too long in a word processor file, I present to you 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
Podiobooks Site: http://podiobooks.com/title/outcast
Email: outcastnovel@gmail.com
Voice Mail: 206-600-NARC (6272)

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

Episode 14.5

More Stormy Seas Ahead…

I’m convinced that the Fates have me square in their crosshairs, dead to rights.

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.

No…Really…I mean it this time…

Hey all you ravenous outcasts out there!

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…

A Profound Moment…

Outcasts, fans, and any others who may be reading this…I’d just like to take a moment and try to come to terms with what happened to me today.

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.

thank you
my hero

my little true story of what you podcast did for me.

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…