It’s not often that you run into someone who makes a profound impression on you. Let alone someone who might see you as competition. But that’s not how my friend Blaze McRob operates. He’s sincere, funny, and pretty darned honest when it comes to the craft. I met him way back in 2010 when I was looking for someone to give me an honest opinion on a supernatural thriller/horror novel I was working on. After finding him on a horror author Facebook page, I messaged him and asked if he’d look my over book and see if I was even on the right track (since I’d never written horror). To my delight, he agreed, read it, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
That one novel started a long friendship which has even spanned to a working relationship. For the last six years, he’s been friend, confidant, mentor, and a fellow veteran who I can share my triumphs and failures with. When IU came up with the idea for articles on author/mentors, I was more than happy to send Blaze some questions which I hope you find interesting. He’s had a LONG history of writing and certainly a fascinating one. So without further ado, let’s get to know Blaze McRob: Continue reading “#IndieHero Blaze McRob (Robert Nelson)”
No, this is not an R- or X-rated post on how to fall in love with an artist; it’s a few tips you can use if you’re looking for an illustrator. Let’s face it, artwork isn’t cheap, especially when it comes to books and even more so with covers, comics, and graphic novels. The cost of a decent cover can set you back $500 or more for a known artist. And you might want to stick your head in the sand when it comes to comics or graphic novels — those can run into the thousands of dollars.
I never dreamed of writing a children’s book — didn’t think it was my style. Well, a little ducky changed that. Her name is Sevy, and she caused me a whole heap of trouble as a duckling. I’d posted her exploits on Facebook and everyone kept urging me to write a children’s book. Okay, I did. The print version had its headaches with formatting, bleed, and such, but it’s out there. The eBook, however: I could never get the formatting right for some reason, so I ignored it for a couple of years.
Last March, I attended the Lexington Comic and Toy Convention (LCTC) in downtown Lexington Kentucky. It was about a two hour drive for us — not bad considering the fickle weather the area can have. It was my first con ever, and I went as a spectator. Wow, was I blown away! While the LCTC isn’t huge, it’s still draws celebrities and brings in over 20,000 people during the three-day event.