Saturday, March 16, 2024

Submissions now open for 9th Annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics

Deadline is May 25th, 2024 for comics published during the 2023 calendar year.


by Beat Staff

The 9th Annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics is now officially accepting submissions. As in previous years, the event will name one winner from five honored finalists, whose work resembles a commitment to excellence and inclusion on and off the page, much like the late Mr. McDuffie’s own efforts to produce entertainment that was representative of and created by a wide scope of human experience.

Read the official PR below for details:

The 9th annual “Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics” is now accepting submissions at dwaynemcduffie.com. The deadline is May 25th, 2024 for comics published during the 2023 calendar year.

With a selection committee of notable comic book professionals led by industry legend Marv Wolfman, this prestigious prize has grown exponentially in esteem since it was established in 2014 in honor of Dwayne McDuffie (1962-2011), the legendary African-American comic book writer/editor and writer/producer of the animated Static Shock, Justice League, and Ben 10: Alien Force/Ultimate Alien, who famously co-founded Milestone Media, the most successful minority-owned comic book company in the history of the industry.

Dwayne McDuffie: In His Own Words

https://www.gofundme.com/f/uc5ed-the-dwayne-mcduffie-fund

The slogan for the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics is Mr. McDuffie’s own profound saying:

“From invisible to inevitable.”

Fan-favorite actor, Phil LaMarr, who worked extensively with Mr. McDuffie both in the title role of the animated Static Shock as well as the voice of John Stewart/Green Lantern on the animated Justice League, had this to say about his perennial involvement with the DMADs:

“I am part of the DMADs because of gratitude. I am thankful that Dwayne McDuffie’s amazing skills made me enjoy being a comic book nerd and also gave me the opportunity to be a comic book hero! But even more importantly, Dwayne showed us that diversity is about equity and also about excellence. When you widen the available perspectives of characters, stories and creators in an industry, you make it better! That is why we are committed to honoring this genius and keeping his legacy going.”

Continuing as Director of the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics is Will J. Watkins, who emphasized the importance of the DMADs to emerging talent:

“In a time of such cultural division, political extremism and unapologetic intolerance, I’m elated that comic book creators can once again submit to this award that represents what Dwayne stood for: inclusion, compassion, and the highest quality of storytelling.”

Mr. McDuffie’s widow, Charlotte (Fullerton) McDuffie, reminded us of the significance of representation in all its forms, embodied by this award:

“The DMADs shine a spotlight on creators who represent diversity on the page and/or behind the scenes, who might not otherwise garner industry attention. As Dwayne stated often, diversity means ‘all kinds of people’—men, women, non-binary, big, Little, disabled, every different race and creed, and any combinations of the above, plus more! If you’re a human being, you are eligible and welcome to submit your inclusive work.

We look forward to seeing it all!”

PAST WINNERS

2022 – Ripple Effects
Written by Jordan Hart
Illustrated by Bruno Chiroleu

2021 – Adora and the Distance
Written by Marc Bernadin
Illustrated by Ariela Kristantina

2020 – They Called Us Enemy
Written by George Takei, Justin Eisinger & Steven Scott
Illustrated by Harmony Becker

2019 – Archival Quality
Written by Ivy Noelle Weir
Illustrated by Christina Stewart

2018 – Leon: Protector of the Playground
Written & Illustrated by Jamal Nicholas

2017 – Upgrade Soul
Written & Illustrated by Ezra Clayton Daniels

2016 – Ms. Marvel
By G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona

2015 – M.F.K.
By Nilah Magruder

2024 SELECTION COMMITTEE

Colleen Doran is a cartoonist, writer/artist whose works include the multi-award winning adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Snow, Glass, Apples, as well as Gaiman’s Chivalry, Norse Mythology, and American Gods, and art for The Sandman, The Vampire Diaries, multiple Wonder Woman titles, and hundreds of other comics. She also illustrated Stan Lee’s New York Times best-selling autobiography autobiography Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible Stan Lee. She writes and draws the space opera series A Distant Soil. Among her numerous awards and nominations are Eisner awards, the Harvey Award, The International Horror Guild Award, the Ringo and the Bram Stoker Award.

Heidi MacDonald is the editor-in-chief of Comicsbeat.com and has edited comics for Disney, DC Comics, Vertigo, HarperCollins and Z2. She can be heard on Publishers Weekly’s weekly podcast More To Come and found regularly on the Beat’s YouTube channel.

Jamal Igle is the writer/artist/creator of Molly Danger for Action Lab Entertainment, the co-creator/artist of The Wrong Earth for Ahoy Comics, co-creator of Dudley Datson and the Forever Machine for Comixology, and the penciller of the critically acclaimed series, BLACK from Black Mask Studios, as well as many titles for DC, Marvel and Dark Horse. He’s been a storyboard artist for Sony Animation and is also a popular guest lecturer on the subjects of comics and animation.

Kevin Rubio is a writer/producer who has contributed to Justice League Action, Avengers Assemble, Thunderbirds Are Go!, Green Lantern: The Animated Series and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. He is also the creator and writer of the Star Wars graphic novel, Tag & Bink Were Here, and Red 5 Publication’s Abyss Vol. I & II. He is an inaugural recipient of the George Lucas Film Award for his Star Wars short film, TROOPS, is a Promax Award winner, and is an Emmy nominee.

Geoffrey Thorne is the writer/creator of Mosaic for Marvel Comics and the writer behind the transformation of DC Comics’ John Stewart from Green Lantern to the Emerald Knight. He was also the head writer and showrunner of Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest as well as a writer, producer and co-executive producer on such hit series as Leverage, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Power: Book II: Ghost. He is the executive producer of the hit sci-fi/fantasy audio drama series Dreamnasium and of Redjack: the Animated Shorts on YouTube.

Eric Wallace is a Saturn Award-winning writer/producer/director responsible for projects in almost every media imaginable, including the animated series Ben 10: Omniverse and Duel Masters; helping to revive the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows on audiobooks with the original cast; contributing to the Scribblenauts videogame franchise; and writing for DC Comics on multiple titles, including the award-winning Mr. Terrific. His live-action credits include the Syfy Channel’s Eureka, followed by Z Nation, Teen Wolf—which featured his directorial debut—and most recently as Showrunner and EP of CW’s The Flash.

Matt Wayne has written for many highly-regarded animation projects, including Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, Cannon Busters, Niko and the Sword of Light, the Emmy-nominated Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms, Hello Kitty: Supercute Adventures and most recently, Iyanu: Child of Wonder.  His comics work includes Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Static/Black Lightning, and writing and editing for the original Milestone Media comics line.

Will J. Watkins (Director of the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics) is a freelance TV, film and animation writer who is also comic book story/world-building consultant on The Protectors graphic novel published by Athlita Comics. He had a stint as an assistant editor at DC Comics and, before moving to LA, he co-owned Chicago’s first African-American-owned comic book shop. He was a writer on Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem and most recently worked on a TV show adapted from a BOOM! Studios comic book.

Marv Wolfman is the multi-award-winning writer who created Blade for Marvel Comics, The New Teen Titans for DC Comics, and legions of other iconic characters and stories. In addition to comic books, he’s written for animation, videogames, novels and more. It’s been said that he’s created more characters who’ve made the jump to movies, TV shows, toys, games and animation than any other writer save Stan Lee.

See original post: https://www.comicsbeat.com/submissions-now-open-for-9th-annual-dwayne-mcduffie-award-for-diversity-in-comics/

Friday, March 15, 2024

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTION PRESENTS SHADOWS OF LOVE BY R.A. JONES

After almost fifteen years of publishing some of the most action-packed adventure pulp novels, new pulp publisher Airship 27 Production is delighted to announce the release of their first-ever pulp romance novel. “Shadows of Love” by R.A. Jones.

Amber Milton, daughter of Lord Kensington, never set out to fall in love with the handsome stable hand, Edwin Stone. Though aware her father was in serious financial jeopardy and might have to sell their country estate, The Barrens, Amber was oblivious to all by her own life of privilege.

When Stone began to teach her how to ride the stable’s fiercest stallion, Storm, Amber felt a new passion awakening in herself. In the end, she could do nothing but succumb and she and Stone pledged their love to each other, come what may.

Then their idyllic vow was shattered when the greedy, unscrupulous banker, Harold Meek, offered Amber’s father the funds to settle his debts. In return for helping him frame Stone of robbery and chasing him away, thus allowing him to marry Amber. In one dark and loathsome ploy, the young lovers are torn apart supposedly to never see each other again, each believing themselves betrayed by the other.

Yet sometimes in the face of such pure, sweet love, Fate takes a hand and through a series of incredible events ranging from Italy to the coast of Africa, Amber Milton and Edwin Stone’s lives are about to be reunited.

Artist James Lyle provides all the interior illustrations plus the cover for this plunge in Harlequin Romance territory.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTION – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

Available now from Amazon in paperback and soon on Kindle.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Fanfiction -- No Longer a Dirty Word in Fiction?


For this week's roundtable, let's talk about fan fiction. For a long time, it was synonymous with both "amateur" by professionals and "theft" by IP owners. But that has seemed to be changing as time moves on. So, this one is for all the fan-fic writers out there. Let's chat.

What is your experience with fan-fic?

Angelia Sparrow: I got into pro writing from fanfic. I have done a few filed off pieces (took an old Star Wars fiction, made Luke a girl and Han a cat-girl, kept the plot, changed the end)

Kay Iscah: I've written four or five fanfiction novels, including a perspective trilogy (same story from 3 different limited perspectives), a novella, and some short pieces. But I'm careful to separate it under a different pen name from my professional work, and think it's important to respect the copy right holder's wishes when it comes to writing fanfiction. I've also edited or beta read stories for others.

Ed Erdelac: I started out writing Star Wars fanfic and was eventually hired to write the real thing a couple of times. My last novel was a thinly disguised Friday The 13th fanfic. 

Bobby Nash: I started out writing the characters I knew and loved. That helped me learn the basics of writing and eventually it led to creating my own characters and telling their stories.

Jana Oliver: My first few stories were fan-fic though I never uploaded those so no one else has read them. All three were book length (a Dr Who and 2 Babylon 5s). My fan-fic proved I could handle plotting and the story structure, and so I started writing books set in my own worlds.

I do not read fan-fic, especially anything based on my main UF series due to the legal implications. I just ignore that those exist, though I was kinda jazzed when they first appeared.

Danielle Procter Piper: The most valuable thing I've learned in writing fanfiction is that another writer is going to jump you and nitpick your work, telling you how you're not following the original ideas to the letter. It's fanfiction. I can do what I want. 

Susan Roddey: Oh, do I have thoughts on this... Let me preface this by saying fanfiction writers are absolutely lifting IP from the creators. That's just the way of the craft. HOWEVER... I cut my writing teeth on fan fiction. Granted, most of it is terrible and will never, ever see the light of day beyond what used to exist on Livejournal and in old Yahoo! Groups, but it helped me learn how to write. When the rules of the world are pre-defined, it's easier to focus on technique - dialogue, plot, characterization, etc. I took what I learned playing in others' sandboxes and used it to create my own original work.

Nope, wrong kind of fan.
Jason Bullock: I have had a little experience with fan fiction of owned IP. I have written several novellas and short stories of public domain characters. My family has written several works of fan-fic of sci-fi television series however. I have read several fan-fic series including sci-fi from movies and television for entertainment as well as creative inspiration.

Maya Preisler: I’ve been writing fanfic for about thirty years, though it’s only recently that I’ve started “publishing” stories on AO3 for others to read. My most popular work is an ongoing epic series that currently has around 263k words and around 16k page views.

Bertram Gibbs: For several years, on top of my original stories, I was given the chance to write a few DC Comic stories for this online fan fiction group. My first was a tribute to the 80s Justice League series (‘The Return of BWAH-HAH-HA’) where Plastic Man, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) Booster Gold (with Skeets) take on Lex Luthor using their combined powers of annoyance. That was because DC didn’t want to publish the novel (rubes). It was so well received, I was invited to write a few more (a time travel Batman story and a JSA piece). And if invited here, I’ll be more than happy to share them with you.

What are the pros of writing fan-fic that you've experienced?

Maya Preisler: First and foremost, fan fiction has become a form of self-care for me; it allows me to escape to another galaxy and process my thoughts and feelings through fictional characters. Fan fiction has brought me several friendships, including meeting one of my readers at DragonCon. Having a community of readers who value and support my writing encourages me to persist and continue long past when I would normally have abandoned a story. I also cannot overemphasize how good it feels as a writer to wake up to comments, kudos, and other notifications. Receiving positive feedback is also an excellent dopamine boost.

Additionally, writing fan-fic assists me in growing and developing my skills. As someone who often gets mired down in the details while writing, fan-fic empowers me to practice by skipping the steps (like naming characters) which would normally cause roadblocks for me. This allows me to focus on the details of my writing such as foreshadowing, grammar, word use, dialogue, descriptions, and even story flow. After two years of consistent fan-fic practice, I can see already see where my writing has improved.

Susan Roddey: I think the pros are very much what I mentioned above -- it's a sandbox. You don't have to worry about keeping the details of the world straight because those who would read your work in that world are already familiar with the rules. It takes a large part of the stress of writing off the table so it becomes easy to pick the skill you want to develop and practice. I learned character voice by emulating well-known characters. I learned how to build a plot by fixing the things I saw wrong in the properties I love. It also gives writers a sort of neutral ground to play with gender identity and sexual orientation because again, the rules are set but can be manipulated so long as you keep the changes within the confines of the character's predefined personality. It does also create a sense of community - a place where people can belong. It's a fantastic arena for outcasts because we can find common ground among other outcasts. For the most part, it's a very accepting and loving community. I met nearly all of my friends as a result of fanfic communities.

Danielle Procter Piper: The benefits of fanfiction are that it's good practice writing, immediate feedback, and can help establish you as an author worth following.

Bertram Gibbs: It’s refreshing to write stories that I feel have yet to have been explored in the comics and enhance known characters. As a writer, there’s always that ‘what if’ moment where an interesting story comes from your soul and you hope that the writers of the stories you hold dear will share that thought. And when they don’t, you know that it’s up to you to put those thoughts to paper (or computer), to experiment with the beloved characters physically and/or emotionally, and create unexplored twists.

Kay Iscah: I think fan-fic can be a good training ground for writers. It's functionally not much different than franchise writing, except you have fewer rules to follow and no hope of a paycheck. Using another writer's characters well involves study of those characters and building a deep knowledge of their world. Fan fiction writing at it's best is a pure love of the characters and the craft of writing. It's writing for joy and not profit, a modern version of retelling stories around a campfire.

Jason Bullock: I have found inspiration creatively with fan-fic. I have written several fan-fiction stories in scripts for fan comics, including Star Trek Next Generation, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, X-FILES, and Murdoch Mysteries. I found writing those particular IPs gave me the challenge to put myself into the experiences of exotic universies helps me stretch my range. Meek characters, hubris-ridden oligarchs, otherworldly interloper, all were subject to me writing them in inside their own skin. How would they act? How would they talk? Why would they react to situations they would be placed in? These are a few of questions that I would need to familiarize myself with about the characters I was writing.

Bobby Nash: It’s good practice. It’s a fun hobby. You can polish your writing and maybe translate that into getting a professional writing gig.

What are the cons of writing fan-fic that you've experienced?

Kay Iscah: At it's worst, it's amateur porn, exploiting characters for name recognition.

And that's really the worst part of fanfiction. It's often thoughts without filter, which is one thing for your diary and another when sharing it with other people. Particularly for sexual titillation. My worst experience was being in fan group for a Star Wars character. Another person who seemed normal in forum conversations asked me to read her story, and it was just a graphic description of a gang rape using established characters. And I don't mean the story included a difficult scene. I mean there was no story, just a scene of gang rape with no warning that the content was explicit. I believe I was a minor at the time as well, though the person who sent me the story had no way to know that.

Ed Erdelac: I've personally found that so-called fans aren't particularly supportive of anything that isn't given the licensor's official stamp of approval or that doesn't go for broke and use the exact names of everything. Even then, there are perceived tiers of licensed fiction. All in all, too many amateur gatekeepers. I don't think I'd indulge myself in it again.

Jason Bullock: Conversely speaking to the answer of the previous question, I am limited in the level of changes to the characters beyond the established paradigms put in place by the original author. No permanent body modifications, no personal alteration that would destroy existing cannon, or death of lead characters is allowed when writing fan-fic.Bertram Gibbs: Finding a place to show and share your stories and get feedback to see what you could have done differently or, being a writer, get a modicum of praise because our egos could power a third world country (I know mine is).

Maya Preisler: For me, I’ve noticed it’s easy to become accustomed to the praise and positive feedback to where I feel less secure in my writing when no one is actively cheering me on. I’ve also noticed that the dopamine reward of posting a chapter is much quicker than publishing a short story (not to mention a novel), which makes me more likely to want to write fan-fic than the five original WIPs I have going.

Bobby Nash: I run into way too many people that think they can publish their fan fiction and make money off of it. That’s when fan-fic becomes theft and the publishers/IP owners start cracking down. If you do fan fiction, know that it cannot be sold. You don’t own it.

Danielle Procter Piper: The pitfall was discovering the person mentioned in the first answer. 

Susan Roddey: Readers are brutal. If you get even the smallest details wrong, fanfiction readers will absolutely level you in the most savage way possible. However, I think the biggest con is that there's a belief now that "if you can write fan fiction, you can change the names and call it original," and that's not always true. There has to be a differentiation between your world and theirs. You can't just scrape a few details off the top and pass it as new. There also seems to be a trend of fan-fic "rules of writing" bleeding over into original work. I see a lot of readers and editors complaining about things like point of view (fanfic rules don't widely accept an omniscient narrator in my experience), and many techniques that were used by the older writing generations appear to have been pushed out of popular use.

You'll have to forgive my soapbox moment, but as a con, one of the worst for me is the concept of real-person fic. Fictional worlds and characters don't bother me in the slightest because again...not real. Made up. There for the daydreaming. But I have seen some truly creepy things written about real people that toe the line of questionable. It's a worrying trend to me because it perpetuates the idea that celebrities "belong" to the fans. Maybe it's just me, but it makes me VERY uncomfortable.

How and why do you believe the world of fan fiction is changing? Do you see it becoming more or less acceptable to the reading public?

Jason Bullock: The acceptance of fan fiction is filling the void of mediocrity and overuse of story themes or clichéd elements presented to them in media across the board. With writing strikes involving established media outlets, you and I are always looking for that next great literary concept to share with everyone else in the paradigm of our favorite universes. Fan fiction is becoming accepted even more so in a wide range of target audiences. Children's fables to adult slasher stories, fan-fic is meeting the creative needs of many in today's story desert.

Kay Iscah: I think people are becoming more aware of what fanfiction is, particularly as we connect more with strangers who share our niche interests online. When I started writing fan fiction, I was a kid before the internet and thought I was the only person who did such a crazy thing. My first hope had been becoming a franchise novelist, but for Star Wars, you had to be invited which meant establishing yourself as an author with original work first. I even wrote a letter to Lucasfilm and got a polite rejection and a book mark.

Even some copyright holders have learned to embrace it as a way to keep fan bases engaged between releases. Like at one point Lucasfilm had fan film competitions and Pretty Little Liars experimented with letting people monetize fanfiction through a program with Amazon.

I think it will always be seen as amateur because it is amateur, and that's the fun of it. But a hobbyist knitter may still be excellent at their craft. The campfire storyteller may keep you spellbound. Monetization is not always a mark of quality. High point of my fanfiction career was having a librarian tell me that she like my version of Harry Potter's last year better than Rowling's.

However, I still know I was playing in Rowling's (or Lucas's) world. If I want to be ranked among the great writers, I can't just be a good wordsmith but also be a world builder.

Bobby Nash: As I mentioned before, there are folks out there trying to sell stories with characters they do not own. The publishers and IP owners then crack down and inhibit the fan-fic hobby for everyone.

Maya Preisler: I believe that as preservation of fan-fiction through online archives continues, along with support for legal protections, fan-fiction will become more popular and acceptable to the reading public for a variety of reasons.

First, I think fanfic provides readers with a lot of possibilities that aren’t as feasible in mainstream publishing because it eliminates a lot of barriers. Fan-fic is accessible to anyone with an internet connection, the text can be enlarged or turned into an audiobook with any screen reader, and it can be translated to someone’s native language in-browser. Additionally, fan-fic allows for the extension of comfort media, empowering fans who are craving familiar people and places to enjoy new stories within the safety of their favorite fandom.

Second, fan-fic has also historically been more diverse and inclusive than published media, as it allowed for the creation of works which would have been banned under the Hays Code or simply never considered publishable for containing certain subjects.

Third, fan-fic allows a fandom to evolve and adapt media franchises into something better. Many dedicated fans have already retooled several problematic IPs into alternate versions far better than the original ones ever could have been.

Fourth, the myths and legends which once collectively belonged to humanity are now owned by a handful of media companies and that number is actively growing smaller and smaller. Fanfiction reclaims the collective ownership of these cultural myths and returns them to the hands of the public, empowering us to former deeper personal relationships with them as we imbue them with better representation and deeper meaning.

Susan Roddey: It's absolutely becoming more acceptable, particularly with the awards bestowed on AO3 as a whole. There are absolutely some gems on that site, but there are also some pretty terrible things. I also believe that fanfic as a craft is on the upswing because people have less money these days and it's always (or at least it should be because we get into serious legal issues if it's not) free to read.

John L. Taylor: While I haven't written outright fan-fic, I'll weigh in with this. Works that become part of a culture's heritage are ones that have fan input. Creators like H.P. Lovecraft and George Lucas understood this, and their worlds have flourished for decades after their contemporaries faded. Star Trek had a very similar experience where fan writings of many kinds brought a dead IP back to life. It's weirdly important to a work becoming remembered and passed on to future generations. Mythologies begin that way, and fan stories make the difference between myth and a limited IP. Case in point: the SCP Foundation stories. The entire IP is literally fan fiction based on a random Reddit NoSleep post. Yet it is one of the most vibrant shared universes ever written. Let fan-fic thrive

Bertram Gibbs: I see more fan fiction sites popping up, but I also see what appears as stories that break the traditional characters and the way history has presented them. Some use LGTBQ angles, which while good are not truly showing the characters we love and respect. They are unnecessary twists that do not enhance the story and (I feel) are designed for shock value. Not saying that there isn’t an audience for these stories, but it feels like the focus is not on the heroes or villains or the hearts of the stories, but wish fulfillment of the writers.

I think that fan fiction can be more acceptable if there were more known and publicized sites that invite new and old writers to contribute, giving their spin on known characters, and to develop new, interesting and entertaining stories.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Martheus Wade: Ninja With a Pencil

Martheus Wade is a creative ninja who writes and draws ninjas. Why? I guess because it takes one to tell stories about one. The first time I met him he was showing off martial arts moves and demonstrating how to illustrate the human body as a piece of artwork in motion, a violent, deadly piece of artwork in motion. 

Then I read his work in Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa. I was hooked. 

If you haven't met him and entered the world of the Toshigawa Universe, you don't know what you're missing. 

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

I've recently been working on expanding my universe of characters called the Toshigawa Universe. The universe includes our books Shinobi: Ninja Princess, Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa, Turra: Gun Angel, and the webcomic, Ready 2 Spar. The most current book that is out now is the redesign and re-release of Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa - Defiance which was our first book ever to go nationwide. Ironically, it was first published by Shooting Star years ago.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Martial arts is a huge theme of our books. I have always been a fan of anime and manga. All of that makes up the basis of our look and feel. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

I've never considered being a “writer” really. If someone asked me to write a novel, I don’t think I could do it. I’ve always just seen these stories in my head and wanted to convey them. I've always loved reading and English class in school. So it was a natural progression to write stories and characteristics for my creations. So, I guess I am a writer in that respect!

What inspires you to write? 

I see writing as an extension of my creativity while illustrating. It’s almost like the piece isn’t finished until its personality is infused into it. That’s why it's difficult for me to find interest in drawing fan art. I can’t inject my own story into it.

What would be your dream project?

My dream project would be a Wonder Woman and Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa crossover. I got really close with a Jetta and Shi crossover that I got to write and illustrate in Jetta/Shi: Arrow of Destiny. She and Wonder Woman are some of my favorite characters. To place them alongside my character would be awesome.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I’m kind of doing that now. I’m revisiting my old graphic novels and really getting a chance to update the art as well as add to the story to make it smoother. I’m adding color. I’m adding extra conversions. The characters are a lot more well-rounded. It’s been a treat to go back into these books again.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

I love Marv Wolfman’s Teen Titans. He was first. The late Kentaro Miura’s work as a whole has been amazing to follow over the years.  I love Stephen King’s work as well. I think all of those have been highly detailed worlds and characters. I try to bring those to my work as well.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Well, I think we are seeing the answer to that unfold in real time now. With the advent of AI and how it’s quickly trying to steal creative jobs, science is trying to eat the artist. Writing as well as a creative endeavor is on the chopping block because people can’t really fathom the spiritual, mental, and artistic energies it takes to make anything. The general thought is, “I should be able to do this. I see other people do it. Why can’t I?” What they don’t realize is that there is an entire history behind that person creating. A person brings their life experiences to the table while writing or drawing. But we are seeing Ai rip that end result off as creativity. Writing isn’t science. It’s as art as you can get.

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process? 

Most would say starting. But I love starting and watching it evolve. I would honestly say finishing. Being satisfied with your work enough to leave it alone. 

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not? 

Kevin Williams takes red pens to my work constantly and Janet Wade, tells me daily how much a piece sucks. So they keep me on my toes. Haha.

What does literary success look like to you? 

Success is being able to live comfortably while taking care of my family and having readers enjoy my work. I don’t have to be rich and have a private island or anything. I just want to live life creatively and allow my family to live it as well.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug? 

My graphic novel series is up and going at ToshigawaUniverse.com. There you will find all of our different series as well as apparel. So, I’d love for supporters of independent comics to go there to check it out. There are books there for all ages, adult and young adult readers.

For more information, visit: 


Saturday, March 9, 2024

[Link] 20 Inspiring Quotes from Langston Hughes

by Jennifer M Wood

Poet. Novelist. Playwright. Activist. There wasn’t much that Langston Hughes couldn't do. Born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902, Hughes—an innovator of the jazz poetry art form—eventually made his way to New York City, where he became one of the most recognized leaders of the Harlem Renaissance. But even amongst his peers, Hughes’s work stood out as unique.

In 1973’s Modern Black Poets: A Collection of Critical Essays, critic Donald B. Gibson wrote that Hughes “differed from most of his predecessors among black poets … in that he addressed his poetry to the people, specifically to black people. During the twenties when most American poets were turning inward, writing obscure and esoteric poetry to an ever-decreasing audience of readers, Hughes was turning outward, using language and themes, attitudes and ideas familiar to anyone who had the ability simply to read.”

Here are 20 inspiring quotes from Langston Hughes.

1. On humor

“Humor is laughing at what you haven't got when you ought to have it ... what you wish in your secret heart were not funny, but it is, and you must laugh. Humor is your own unconscious therapy. Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air, and you.”

2. On the importance of dreams

“A dream deferred is a dream denied.”

3. On censorship

“We Negro writers, just by being black, have been on the blacklist all our lives. Censorship for us begins at the color line.”

4. and 5. On Freedom

“In all my life, I have never been free. I have never been able to do anything with freedom, except in the field of my writing.”

“An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.”

Read the full article: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/91742/20-inspiring-quotes-langston-hughes

Friday, March 8, 2024

Sean Taylor invites you to join the Crowd in Babylon in his new collection of dark and horror tales!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Atlanta, GA (March 8, 2024) -- Featuring 17 tales of Southern horror, dark fantasy, and weird adventure inspired as much by Flannery O'Connor, Eudora Welty, and Shirley Jackson as by F. Marion Crawford, Stephen King, and Ray Bradbury, Sean Taylor's A CROWD IN BABYLON takes readers from the chilling underside of the urban landscape to the homegrown terrors of rural life and hidden frights that lie beneath suburban smiles.

This collection includes both stories that have been out of print for a while -- such as "The Fairest of Them All: A Symphony of Revenge," the Zombies vs. Robots (IDW) tale "Farm Fresh," and "Posthumous" -- and brand-new stories, such as the title tale, "A Lot Different from the Brochures, Isn't It?," "The Ghosts of Children," "The Color of the Blues," and many more. 


Inside the pages of A CROWD IN BABYLON, readers will meet a diverse and macabre group of characters, including: 

• A zombie writer whose work funds the lifestyle of her cheating husband
• A musician who learns that true art requires irretrievable loss
• A Cherokee brave who must face the monsters from his people's legends
• A time-traveling widow nursing a violent and deadly grudge
• A woman who needs four-footed help to teach her grandchild to grieve
• A young writer obsessed with a dead actress
• An immigrant haunted by the vengeful ghosts of children
• And ten other creepy tales!

"This one has been a long time coming," Taylor says. "So much happened to delay the release of this, my first horror collection, but I couldn't stop pushing. Horror is so important to me. It's one of my favorite genres to write, and I hope even a little of that love for the genre shines through the book."

A CROWD IN BABYLON is currently available as a trade paperback for $14.99 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW5Q3YQZ) and a Kindle ebook for $2.99 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW1WMZMV), both from Amazon. 

Sean Taylor writes short stories, novellas, novels, graphic novels, and comic books (yes, Virginia, there is a difference between comic books and graphic novels, just like there's a difference between a short story and a novel). In his writing life, he has directed the “lives” of zombies, superheroes, goddesses, dominatrices, Bad Girls, pulp heroes, and yes, even frogs, for such diverse bosses as IDW Publishing, Gene Simmons, and The Oxygen Network. Visit him online at www.thetaylorverse.com and www.badgirlsgoodguys.com.

# # #

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Playing in Someone Else's Sandbox

For our newest writer roundtable, let's take a look at writing characters created by other people. There are several ways we can do this, from being hired to write a licensed character (like Superman, The Phantom, She-Hulk, etc.), reviving a public domain character (like The Black Bat, Domino Lady, Sherlock Holmes, etc.), or being hired to ghostwrite for someone else's plot and character ideas.

What is the single most valuable lesson you've learned from writing characters created by other people?

Ron Fortier: There are only two approaches to do other peoples’ characters.  The first is complete ignore what went before and re-create them any way you want. Now if these characters are licensed, option two is off the table. At the same time, if you are working the licensor, you are hamstrung by what they will let you do or not do.

You also need to do your homework. If these are popular characters that have been around for a long while, they already have fans out there. The more you research what’s been already done, the more you can stay in tune with the essence of the characters and hopefully maintain them.

Alan J. Porter: Respect the source material and any boundaries that are set -- but it’s also okay to get creative and push those boundaries a bit. You may be surprised what gets approved.

Bobby Nash: I learned about getting to know your characters because if you write an already established character out of character the readers will know. Moreover, they will let you know you got it wrong. I also learned restraint. The difference between writing Zorro as a media tie-in and writing Zorro fan fiction is that there are rules with writing licensed characters. You can’t just write whatever idea pops into your head. You can’t marry them off or kill them, unless you put it back to how you found it at the end of your story. As you once told me, Sean, and this is a piece of advice I never forget, “Don’t blow up Cleveland. We might need it later.”

I often use Star Trek TOS as an example of how to write established IPs or licensed tie-ins. Almost every episode starts with the Enterprise flying through space. Everyone is happy. Then, some bad stuff happens that they have to deal with, but the story ends with the Enterprise flying through space. Everyone is happy. Unless you’re instructed otherwise by the publisher or license owner, that’s writing other people’s characters.

Brian K Morris: I love working with other IPs. I feel flattered when someone trusts me to work with their brainchildren.

My greatest lesson in writing other creations is, as one of my comic artist friends says, I need to leave the woodpile higher than when I found it. I not only don't have the right to alter a character drastically to suit my whims, I should leave behind some characters for other writers, including the creator, to utilize later.

Sean Taylor: Probably the most valuable lesson I learned from writing other folk's IPs, especially for pay, is that the owner if putting a great deal of trust in you to treat the fans and the characters fairly. Now, "fairly" doesn't mean what a lot of rabid fans on the Internet today think it means, mainly not changing anything and keeping details true to the version of the characters they best remember. Instead, treating characters and fans fairly, at least to me, means putting the characters in a good story that doesn't reflect only your take as a writer. Honor as much as you can what has gone before but never be locked into the past history of the character. The IP owner trusts me to tell a story that offers some kind of new approach that still honors the old and takes the character into new ground for a new readership.

What are the pitfalls you've experienced in writing other people's creations?

Brian K Morris: I don't see it as a pitfall so much as a challenge, and that's to find the voice of the character as the creator made it. This means when I research a character's history, I also study their vocal patterns, their psychology, and their quirks. Abraham Snow's tough guy wise cracks won't sound right coming from, say, Captain Steven Hawklin. or Major Marjorie Pettice I will even alter my prose style slightly to emulate the IP owner's. My purpose is to blend in.

Sean Taylor: Oh, god, the pitfalls are numerous. Nowadays, perhaps the biggest one is Internet trolls who want to cancel your work based on a blurb or a mere single illustration taken out of context. The fear of someone being in "control" of a character who feels differently about the character can drive some fans crazy. Now, I'm not blaming fans, because there are writers who bring their chosen story (you know, the one they writer regardless of the character they are charged with) and force-fit it on each gig they get.

Not just that, you have to be really careful when it comes to your research. I'm currently writing the adventures of the Golden Amazon for Moonstone, and that's character has a more convoluted history than Donna Troy (or so it feels sometimes). So, it's crucial that I write the version of the character Moonstone wants me to write. I need to be judicial with the research I do on my own and focus more on the story bible I'm provided by the publisher. 

Alan J. Porter: The people charged with approving the work may not know the property as well as you do, and sometimes you just have to accept that and pivot a story idea.

Ron Fortier: No matter how good your intentions are, there will always be old-time fans who hate what you are doing to what they believe to be “their” characters. People get passionate about classic characters and only ever done one way all the time. With them, you can never win and better to invent your own creations.

Bobby Nash: There are simply going to be stories you are not allowed to tell, for one reason or another. You don’t own these characters. You are being allowed to play with someone else’s toys so don’t break them. Most of the time, writing company-owned or licensed characters comes with a huge set of do’s and don’ts. From time to time, I hear people say, “If I was writing (insert your favorite character here), I’d (insert totally off the wall scenario the IP owner won’t let you do in a hundred years).” That’s not the way it works. The IP owner’s job is to protect their characters. Learning to play within those boundaries will work in your favor. I go into tie-in work knowing what kind of stories ‘not’ to pitch.

What are the benefits you've experienced in writing other people's creations?

Bobby Nash: Oh, yes. Certainly. I’ve been fortunate to write a few characters that I grew up loving as a kid. That’s just fun. I got to put words in the mouths of The Green Hornet, The Lone Ranger, Nightveil, Carl Kolchak, James T. Kirk, and more. How cool is that?

From a business perspective, these characters come with a bit of a built-in audience. Writing Kolchak: The Night Stalker put new eyes on my work that might never have heard of me. The hope is that those readers will go and check out some of my other work. We’re always looking for ways to reach new readers so sometimes it happens.

Alan J. Porter: Finding out just how much some characters mean to people, and the impact you can have on their enjoyment and appreciation of those characters.

Sean Taylor:
There's a built-in, ready-made audience. That's the biggest benefit. New eyes on your work who may not have seen your previous stories. Plus, there's also the joy of finally being asked to contribute to the ongoing story of characters you love. 

For me, there's also one other fascinating benefit -- the possibility of telling that story that maybe no one else has written because it may not (at first glance) fit the character but clearly does by the time the story is over. For example, when I was asked to write Lance Star: Sky Ranger by IP owner Bobby Nash and publisher Airship 27, the first comment I got back when the editor read the story was, "He's not in his plane. Where's the plane? He's a pilot."  My response was, "Sometimes it's interesting to see what a character must challenge himself/herself/themself to do when they are out of their regular element, and sure enough, after a few pages, Lance was back in the sky chasing his villain in his suped-up plane. He just had to figure out how to get there from the Paris Catacombs first. 

Ron Fortier: There’s an inherent learning experience that comes from writing established characters. The restrictions make it possible to challenge your own creativity and challenge yourself to bring something new to the character that doesn’t contradict what’s been done before, or change them. That’s a huge challenge and when met, can expand your own writing skills a great deal.

Brian K Morris: Aside from having fun working on other people's creations, a large benefit comes from showing my work to a different audience. That's why when I was kinda forced to write full-time because I lost my office job, I took advantage of the late, lamented Kindle Worlds program. I was already a fan of the Bloodshot comic book, which KW had the rights to use, so it was an easy decision to write a Bloodshot book to tap into that existing fan base. Many of my Bloodshot fans followed me to other projects, I'm glad to say.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Movie Reviews for Writers: Fantastic Britain


What is it about Britain and the U.K. that fosters such a rich history of fantasy literature? Not only modern best-sellers like Harry Potter, but also classics like C.S. Lewis' Narnia books, Tolkien's Middle Earth books, George McDonald's children and adult fantasies, and Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Or does it begin long before that with the country's legends of King Arthur and his knights?

Or, is it as host Robin Bennett claims, that because of the rigid outer life of manners and mannerisms, the inner life of British writers is so filled with fantastic eccentricities?

Or perhaps it has more to do with Britain being geologically separated and having such a long history?

Or finally, does it have more to do with colonialism? Just like Britain took opium and other resources from countries, they also plundered the mythology and legends of the countries they suppressed. 

You can watch the documentary to find out for yourself. What I'm concerned about is more what this whimsical documentary has to say to us as writers. 

On that front, there's quite a bit to cover. 

Perhaps my favorite bit from this documentary hits at about the halfway point. It says quite adamantly that a write "can only get away with one big lie." Everything else must be true. For example, the narrator goes on to say, in Narnia the one big lie is a wardrobe that takes children to another world. After that, the characters must act and interact as if real. I love that. I think that works not just for fantasy but other genres as well. The suspension of disbelief can only stretch so far, after all. 

The next point is that of why Fantasy books, and books in general, matter. Sometimes a book is a child's (or an adult's I would add) only friend, a secret friend. I can vouch for this in my life. As a child I hid myself in my room during my years of having few friends and escaped into books, particularly my Childcraft Encyclopedias and my Illustrated Classics by Verne, Dickens, and Wells. You never know. That book you're writing at this very moment might be the safe haven some reader is looking for. 

The importance of Fantasy can't be overstated, regardless of how some wish to relegate it to childish flights of fancy. Without the safe otherworld provided by Fantasy literature, it might be too risky or painful to address certain topics. Fantasy can be a way of investigating things that are real, and perhaps things that are too sore to address directly. Dune (a sci-fi fantasy of the first order) deals with corporate greed in a way that makes readers think, maybe more than something more realistically based (like Upton Sinclair's The Jungle). Lord of the Rings can tell us more about the nature of humanity to embrace power for power's sake than a thousand biographies about famous politicians. 

There's also a great nod to the steadfastness of the writers themselves. After all, any author who can continue through the editing process without stopping and calling it quits is already a champion storyteller. And what process is that? Writing the first draft. Editing it. Finished the final draft to send to the publisher. Changing it yet again for a structural edit. After that, more changes for a story edit. Then a line edit. All through that the author is continuing to go back and redo work. That takes tremendous dedication.

The best way to close this review is with a quote from Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, that sums up the power of the Fantasy story--dreaming has no boundaries. Therefore, neither should dreamers who put these dreams onto paper and into digital devices. 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

S. Rupsha Mitra: Love and Culture in the Smoked Frames

S. Rupsha Mitra from Kolkata, India is an undergraduate Honours student deeply interested in works of spirituality and transcendence. Her favourite writer is Rabindranath Tagore. She loves to learn and write about culture and often experiments with translations and poetry. Her works have been published in London Reader, Mermaids Monthly, Pif Magazine, Birmingham Arts Journal, Muse India, Indian Literature (Sahitya Akademi), Science for the People Magazine, Brown Girl Magazine, The Kali Anthology - Poems by Indian Women Poets, North Dakota Quarterly, Ekstasis Magazine by Christianity Today and South Seattle Emerald. Her work has received honour in the National Lockdown Poetry contest for women held by eShe magazine. She is the winner of the BLACC Poetry Contest. She is a columnist for the magazine, Houghton and Mackay.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

My latest work is the book, Smoked Frames. It is very close to my heart and it deals with concepts of love, identity, Indian culture and spirituality. The book can be bought from the bookshop of JLRB Press or amazon.com.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

Different memories associated with love and school life are subjects that I tend to revisit in my work. I feel I am inclined towards writing on psychological concepts in my work. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer? 

I don't remember any specific event that happened that prompted me to become a writer but I always wanted to become a writer and have a book published as a child. 

What inspires you to write? 

My grandmother is my greatest inspiration. The passion for poetry and the constant support of my near and dear ones inspire me to write. 

What would be your dream project?

My dream project would be a collaborative art project on dance and poetry. 

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I would want to self-edit the poems of my chapbook, Soul God.  

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Obviously, Tagore is the biggest influence in my writing. 

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

I would answer this as it is as much art as it is science. This is because it requires both emotion and logic. 

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process? 

To overcome laziness and start afresh when I am unhappy with a project and I want to improve on it. 

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not? 

They are helpful, inspiring, and always encourage me. 

What does literary success look like to you? 

Excellence at its peak. 

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?  

I have a psychology-based poetry zin,e forthcoming from Endangered Art Books

For more information, visit: 

www.srupshapoetry.com

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Sunday Funnies: Snob!

[Link] 16 Tips From Famous Authors for Writing Better Poetry

by Caitlin Schneider

The elusive art of poetry isn’t so hard to master if you know how to set the stage. In honor of World Poetry Day, here are a few handy rituals from some of history’s greatest poets.

1. MAKE TIME FOR TEATIME.

Samuel Johnson once said of himself: "[I am a] hardened and shameless tea-drinker, who has, for 20 years, diluted his meals with only the infusion of this fascinating plant; whose kettle has scarcely time to cool; who with tea amuses the evening, with tea solaces the midnight, and, with tea, welcomes the morning.” The end result was that he reportedly drank 25 cups in a single sitting.

2. GET REALLY AMPED.

Tea isn’t strong enough for everyone. W.H. Auden took more aggressive stimulants: amphetamines. Auden took a dose of Benzedrine every single morning, though his affinity for the chemicals is likely to blame for his heart failure at age 66.

3. PRACTICE YOUR ETERNAL REST.

Dame Edith Sitwell was known for delivering dramatics, the most notable of which might be her practice of lying in an open coffin to prep for writing.

Read the full article: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/62431/16-famous-authors-tips-writing-better-poetry

Friday, March 1, 2024

The Dead Speak: Sean Taylor's Corpse Delivers the Eulogy in His New Collection!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Atlanta, GA (March 1, 2024) -- Comic and prose writer Sean Taylor introduces his newest collection of essays, short stories, and poems, THE CORPSE DELIVERS THE EULOGY AND OTHER WORKS

Designed as an introduction to Taylor's writing for new readers and a re-introduction to current readers, this collection features both old and new creations in a single volume. THE CORPSE DELIVERS THE EULOGY showcases new essays about the art of writing and reading, old and new poetry between 1992 and just last month, and stories that set him on the path to fiction writing, both literary shorts and even a superhero short from the days of Cyber Age Adventures magazine. 

"For those who only know my work from my comic book writing or those who only know me from my pulp adventures and superhero tales, this is the book to let you discover the writer I like to be when I'm writing for myself as the main audience," Taylor says. 

Readers can see in this collection how Taylor, who has written for such properties as Zombies Vs. Robots, The Bad Girls Club, The Black Bat, and the Golden Amazon, along with his own creations Fishnet Angel and private detective Rick Ruby (co-created with Bobby Nash), has grown, changed, and expanded as a writer. 

"I'm so excited to see this released," he says. "These are the words that shaped me as a storyteller and continue to shape me, and it's quite amazing to see them in print."

THE CORPSE DELIVERS THE EULOGY is available as a trade paperback for $9.99 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWR21ZTB/), and already available as a Kindle eBook for $2.99 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVLH8MS3/), both from Amazon. 

Sean Taylor writes short stories, novellas, novels, graphic novels, and comic books (yes, Virginia, there is a difference between comic books and graphic novels, just like there's a difference between a short story and a novel). In his writing life, he has directed the “lives” of zombies, superheroes, goddesses, dominatrices, Bad Girls, pulp heroes, and yes, even frogs, for such diverse bosses as IDW Publishing, Gene Simmons, and The Oxygen Network. Visit him online at www.thetaylorverse.com and www.badgirlsgoodguys.com.

# # #

Thursday, February 29, 2024

On the Dark Side (Yeah, Yeah) On the Dark Side...


For this week's roundtable, we're all going to take a walk on the dark side. (It's okay if you sang the Eddie and the Cruisers song just then.) 

Do you have limits to how dark you will allow your fiction to become? How do you determine those limits?

Sara Freites Scott: Yes I do have limits. I go by how it makes me feel when writing. I push it a little but if I start to feel too uncomfortable reading it back or even writing it I’ll scrap it.

John L. Taylor: Since my writing is mostly of a darker tone, I'll answer here. As to how dark I let it get, two things determine my limits:

1. The community standards of the publisher/platform, and 

2. the needs of the narrative and characters. 

Sometimes going needlessly dark works against you, but as a rule the less likable or "good" my protagonist is, the darker the antagonists need to be by contrast to still accept the point of view of the main characters. Stories like Blood Meridian and The Hellbound Heart wouldn't work with lighter treatments. But darkness isn't always just horrible deeds being done to someone for shock value. It's as much the way they process their experiences, beliefs, and traumas that's dark. There I wish community standards on platforms like YouTube were more context-flexible. I have a half-complete yet unpublished novel. The protagonist is someone who engages in self-harm behaviors and a big part of the plot is her overcoming her trauma and evolving beyond it. In no way does the work glorify this behavior or encourage it. Indeed, it takes a stand against self-harm. Still, any such descriptions are against Facebook and Amazon's standards, so the project remains unfinished because content platforms deem any depictions of such behaviors unacceptable without regard to context. That said, I do have hard limits on some content as both my wife and mother are survivors of abuse situations which I refuse to portray in a positive light or for rote shock value. Simply put, I'll write like Clive Barker or Dean Koontz, not Bentley Little or Aaron Beauregard. 

Lucy Blue: I write in two very clearly defined, very much opposite modes--light stuff like the Stella Hart books (which are downright frothy) and dark like The Devil Makes Three, which is very dark indeed. But yeah, there are limits. I'm good with disturbing or frightening my readers--I love it. I even enjoy the idea that my story might haunt them later. But I don't want to make them vomit. As a reader, I'm a total wuss, but as a writer, I blow right past my reader limits like I don't even know they're there. 

Ef Deal: There is a bottomless well of rage inside me. I have been to so many dark places myself that I have no choice but to go there when the story requires it, but I hate it, and I feel filthy with it afterward. 

Jason Bullock: I haven't tried to push my writing into darker elements in my writing anymore. As a storyteller doing tabletop RPGs for 20 years, I explored really dark themes often visceral in nature. Beyond what I would call sinister in my stories was what I now avoid. Imperfect man can perpetrate enough "evil" on his own not to involve external individuals or forces of a negative supernatural nature. There is a line I will not cross anymore. I had several personal encounters which shaded my own family life. I don't want to go down that terrifying part of my past again. So I take great effort to avoid it. Man and Science have enough order and chaos for me to write about.

Scott McCullar: I have an upcoming storyline in a future THRILL SEEKER COMICS story featuring Yellow Jacket: Man of Mystery as he attempts to retire by putting his guns in the ground so that he can finally find peace that gets REALLY dark. It was so dark for me to write and draw, I couldn’t even believe I was doing it… but the story demanded for me to do it and I could never escape not doing it. I finally completed it and I feel it is one of the strongest and most emotional stories that I’ve written and drawn. It’ll be in the next issue.

As for determining limits? I pushed beyond even what I was comfortable with but what was needed for the story to be effectual.

Bobby Nash: There are certain darker themes that I simply haven’t been interested in exploring. Never say never though. You never know when a great story will hit you that focuses on darker elements.

Danielle Procter Piper: Apparently not. I go deep, like Marianas Trench deep, into places most writers wouldn't venture into. I am all about disturbing people if it can make them think and/or at least entertain them in some way. 

John Hartness: Not until I start writing. Then I know how dark it needs to go.

Sean Harby: I write as dark as a story requires. As to how I decide that, I just kinda feel my way.

Susan H. Roddey: Oh, I can get pretty dark. The limit to how dark varies from book to book because different characters, just like us real breathers, have their own limits. There are a few hard stops for me personally - I don't like body horror, can't do terrible things to kids, and refuse to glorify assault - but beyond those, quite a few things can be considered fair game.

Jessica Nettles: I don’t have the limits written in stone and am willing to push when needed in a story. My stories and characters tend to let me know how far into the darkness to walk.

Raymond Christopher Qualls: The darkest story I wrote is "Manipulations." The daughter of a billionaire who needs multiple organ transplants, and he convinces members of a religious cult to kill a child so she can have pristine organs in his daughter's age range. It's in my Cosmic Egg for Breakfast and Six More Short Stories collection.

John French: There are some things I will not write about or do to my main characters. But when it comes to dark fiction, I recently found that just when I thought I'd reached my limit, I went further into the blackness.

If you are using the term “darkness” to refer to certain acts of violence, then I tend to avoid things like violence for the sake of violence or splatterpunk elements or slasher-style writing in my horror stories. It’s not my style.

Darin Kennedy: My stuff that is horror-adjacent typically is a lot darker. A little darkness, however, always makes the light stand out.

Sean Taylor: Not really. I like to go where the story needs me to go. If that means dark places, then I'll just light up a torch and make like Peter Cushing during the Hammer glory days. That's a kind of flippant answer, but it's true. Stories will let you know where they need to go to convey what they want to and need to say. 

TammyJo Eckhart: Most of my stories tackle something "dark" usually so that we can see success against it. The characters and the purpose of the story dictate how "dark" it should be.

Robert Bear: I'm in a sort of grim phase right now, and because it is specifically grimdark, I get it to where I start to feel uncomfortable with it, and then go a little darker. I think in my grim work, I'm exploring my own darker side... seeing just what I am prepared to experience (through storytelling)... because if you can't visualize, smell, or taste it... how can you write it? So, I have to research a lot of these things in order to get it right. So, 'how dark of a material can I stand to research' is what becomes the question.

Robin Burks: I like to push myself to go as dark as I can -- at least when I'm writing adult fiction (not YA, obviously). I love horror and the more uncomfortable it makes me, the better I think the scene is. However, there are some lines I won't cross, like rape, sexual situations with children, etc.

Dale Kesterson: I've noticed a lot of my short stories are considerably darker than my mystery novels, but I try very hard not to think about why. 

Jordan Leigh Sickrey: I feel like for me, I don’t like darkness for the sake of darkness. My main character in my fantasy novel was primarily built on the fact that female leads end up hardening themselves due to the “harsh realities” or they start off hard and maybe only dull their edges over time, and I wanted a female lead who could retain that softness and optimism. Yes, dark things happen. My prologue alone requires quite a few content warnings when I share it. But darkness isn’t the total story. It’s about finding the light in the dark and shining anyway.

Robert Lee: I once wrote a story, where the main character was a hitman and the very idea and notion of the story was everybody was a shade of gray and a level of hypocrisy for each person's position. The main character, The Hitman, tortured a gentleman by using a sharpened orange peeler, or maybe a lemon peeler. Yeah, I have no problems going in like that because it shows you the reflection of humanity's inhumanity toward others. I also abide by the concept that crime fiction at its darkest reflects society and humanity at its worst, but it also can show moments at its best but those moments are few and far between.

Teel James Glenn: I don't really write dark--for its sake. If I go dark it is to give my protagonists in the light balance and a challenge. Not a fan of nihilism.

Do you find writing darkness in your stories liberating? In what way? Or why not?

Lucy Blue: The silly thing is, I just write the story; I don't stop and think about how dark it might be. It's only later when my editor says, "geez, Lucy!" that I realize it might be darker than I thought. 😉 And that is liberating; that makes me feel like the story has taken on a life of its own that isn't limited by my own fears. 

Danielle Procter Piper: Is writing darkness liberating? I've never considered that...but it's as close to the rawness of my dreams as I can get, and I love dreaming. Many of my stories, screenplays, and pieces of art are dream-inspired. I suppose I'm hinting that the darkness in my stories is often a psychological mind-f*ck. Manipulating my readers' emotions is the highest pleasure I achieve with my work. 

Sara Freites Scott: Sometimes yes I do find it liberating! I’ll either find myself feeling thankful that I haven’t had such darkness in my own life OR share a dark moment in my writing from my past or someone else’s past that I know as part of the character's story that helps me to feel not so alone about it.

John Hartness: I haven’t thought about it in that way, so not currently.

Susan H. Roddey: I wouldn't necessarily call it "liberating," but there's definitely catharsis there. Going full dark is good for purging demons. It's how I work through things.

Dale Kesterson: Possibly cathartic? I do know I love 'killing people on paper' in the mysteries (third one came out very recently). I don't think I'll go overboard with it though.

Sean Taylor: It can be. But it can also be scary, not because of the content but because of the lack of outside edges to box me in. If I'm really free to go anywhere in a story, then I have to maintain a tighter grip on the reins of the storytelling itself. It can be too easy to go a step too far or let all that freedom go to your head and suddenly you're writing yourself out of a genre's or a publisher's and a target audience's good graces. When that happens, you have to make a choice. Keep the story going in a direction that might not be as marketable, or whip out that editing eraser. 

Ef Deal: It's not cathartic in the least; in fact, it feels more like wallowing, like picking at a scab until the blood flows anew: The wound never heals that way; it just gets worse. And no, I have no limits to the darkness I put on the page, although my publisher does, and she reins me back in.

Sean Harby: I do find it a little liberating. I had a Rockwellian youth, so darkness appeals to me.

John L. Taylor: Most dark stories emerged to sort out their emotions in bad situations. The very first recorded story, Gilgamesh, is really about the grief of losing your best friend. Yes, I do find writing darker material to be cathartic. Dark materials can both be a way to work through trauma and depression and to hold up a grim mirror to negative aspects of society. Some of my darkest work was either socially satirical or based on deep-seated anxieties. I've always had the philosophy that people flourish when they admit the darkness in their own subconscious and vent it. Take, for example, two very different works the hymn "It is Well with My Soul," and James O'Barr's The Crow. Both were written by men processing the senseless loss of their significant other. O'Barr's work took a much more visceral path to it than the hymn did, but both are lamentations of the human condition and attempt to reconcile a loving God with an indifferent universe. Each succeeds in its own way. I believe it is vital to the human condition that fiction be able to tackle difficult and disturbing subjects in an expressive fashion. 

Jessica Nettles: I mean, all good stories have elements of darkness, don’t they? I have never seen this as a factor for me.

Bobby Nash: I find something liberating about every story I write. Writing can be part therapy, part exploration of thoughts and feelings that are outside the norm for me, even a way to study and understand behaviors not my own.

Scott McCullar: I never thought about the word “liberating”. I think “cathartic” and “revealing” are more appropriate descriptions of what I have experienced.

Jason Bullock: Writing dark themes, I mean really dark themes, costs. The current chaos in our world tears enough at the individual but I don't feel liberated by diving into the truly abyss-level miasma. For me , crime, murder, and other such activities are about as far as criminal activity I would explore in my writing... well at this time in my life.

Are there advantages to writing darker stories that you don't have when writing lighter fare?

Sara Freites Scott: I think there are advantages! It can help connect a reader to a writer/character if there is some darkness because the world we live in is rather dark and we all have that darkness in us to some degree.

Sean Harby: Dark always seems more real to me.

Susan H. Roddey: I don't know that I can call it an advantage really, but I believe that darker stories are often more relatable. We've spent the last several years living in an actual dystopian horror show come to life, so we can relate to that kind of scenario. We all know what that despair feels like. So channeling that darkness into a situation where the good guy can win? Yeah, that's definitely going to draw people in and give them a sense of satisfaction at the end. Then there are some of us who sometimes just want to see the bad guy win.

Bobby Nash: There are certainly stories that benefit from darker themes or scenes. Evil Ways, my first novel, has some far darker stuff than I generally write today. It all depends on the story I’m telling and the audience I’m telling it to. Being able to delve into darker aspects when the story requires it is an advantage. Also, knowing when not to put the darkness on the page is an advantage.

Danielle Procter Piper: The only advantage to writing darker stories is the fun of taking the filters off, but it's also a dangerous thing to do because you may find your audience shrinking. Then again, writers always find their audience one way or another. Stephen King has gone to some pretty dark, weird places and still reigns in the world of horror. I'd like to write stuff that makes him squirm, though...is that too far? Maybe that's perfect.

Lucy Blue: I like knowing I can "go there" if the story demands it.

Jessica Nettles: Both can explore themes and characters in similar fashions. I see comedy and horror as different sides of the same coin, which is why they can work well together. The advantage could be in the audience you are trying to reach and what you want to say to that audience. For me, I don’t find an advantage in either. What I do find is a joy that I can write both and get a response from my audience that is positive.

Yes, I’m in it for the applause, folks. I ain’t gonna lie.

Scott McCullar: I like to balance both the light-hearted, fun, and loving as well as the darker opposites. There are advantages and disadvantages to both that I find. I have personally experienced death, despair, fear, darkness, and more in my own life and I think storytelling allows for those demons to be revealed just as much as the angels that need to show us the light (for example, in my MS. TITTENHURST Dame Detective stories… she is a guardian angel and not a femme fatale… which I wasn’t originally setting out to do when I began telling her stories in the THRILL SEEKER COMICS universe.)

John Hartness: I have to come up with fewer dick jokes on the darker works. Usually.

John L. Taylor: Piggybacking off of the last entry, darker subject matter leaves more room for whimsy than some lighter, but more serious fare. I'll hold up the works of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński in this respect. Their works, despite being visual, were genre-defining works of darkness not matched since Bosch or Goya, yet there is an overriding sense of whimsy and a shadowy allure to their images. Authors like Clive Barker, E.L. James, and Brian Lumley accomplish the same effect in words. That alone makes darker tones worth writing to me. The room for innovation in processing pain and reckoning with our mortality can create some such beautiful art if you have the tenebrous vision to appreciate it

Jason Bullock: Many people make excuses in those instances as there can not be moments of lighter fare if they are not contrasted by darker fields around them. I find that they are indeed diametrically positioned elements of everything and or everyone now in man's existence at this point in history. Writing is no different. When writing about negative elements, I try to end with presenting a positive outcome. In that way, my catharsis is less myopic and rather panoptic in its results.

Sean Taylor: I think a lot of folks, both writer and readers, confuse "dark" with either "gross" or "horrifying details." That's sad, because true darkness in a story is more of a context than content. It's more the overarching something that makes a story feel uncomfortable, even without a healthy (or unhealthy) slathering of body parts or icky descriptions. It's more akin to the difference between an atmosphere of dread and a laundry list of creepy images or plot points. A dark story needs light moments to let a reader breathe, even if just for a moment. So, for me, it's hard to write lighter fair because if I have a motif to all my work thus far, it's this: Humanity doesn't learn anything from the fluffy, happy moments, because it takes tragedy or near-tragedy to make us stop and listen in order to learn anything.