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Top 5 Wednesday: Book You Did Not Finish

It's Top 5 Wednesday time again, and this week we are covering the top 5 books you did not finish. I've picked up quiet a few books in my time that I didn't finish. I've tried to give them a couple shots, and for whatever reason, I just could not get into it. Her'es my top 5.

1) V for Vendetta by Alan Moore & David Lloyd


I watched the movie and really enjoyed it so I wanted to dig into the graphic novel, hoping for a much better, more in depth story. But as I tried to read it, if I remember correctly, it is just packed full of more detail about dystopian type of society that the movie shows, and kind of confused me a bit. I may have been able to get more into it later in the story, but I just couldn't get pass for the first few pages. I tried the same thing a few years later when Watchmen came out as a movie, but in that case I WAS able to dive into the graphic novel, which is weird, because that's dealing with a lot of complex scenarios as well. But yeah, loved the movie, just couldn't finish the graphic novel.


2) Congo by Michael Crichton


So this is an oldie, and truth be told, I should probably give it another go. The movie came out and my step-dad, being the constant reader he is, had the book and told me I should check it out. I tried and tried to get into it, but just couldn't. The reason I say I should give it another try, is because growing up I just wasn't a reader. Reluctant reader is an understatement. But, a year later I read "A Time To Kill", and although reading didn't stick at the time, I did finish it and enjoyed it. I know, it's a different author, but I've read a lot more since then, so maybe I should give this one another try.


3)Storykiller by Kelly Thompson


This one burns a little, and I haven't totally given up on reading it yet, but I've tried three times, and so far I keep putting it back down. The reason it burns is because I backed this project on Kickstarter. I was, and still am, really excited about the concept of a girl who has to fight mythical storybook characters. It sounds awesome, but I've only gotten three chapters in, and each time I put it down. Something about it just isn't keeping my attention, it might be the dialogue, I don't know. But like I said, I love the idea, so I'm sure I'll pick it up again eventually. Just not sure when.


2) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte


So, as I've stated, I was a reluctant reader. Always have been. But, guess what book got me reading again and back into creating stories and really wanting me to pursue becoming a full-time author. Twilight. People can hate it, but a friend I used to work with  was reading the first book before the movies came out and lent it to me when she was finished. I think I read it cover to cover in a week, which was fast for me, especially back then. Why am I telling you this? Because Wuthering Heights is referenced in the Twilight books, and I thought to myself, "Hmm, I should check that book out." No. I've tried a handful of times to read this book and I can't do it. It's complicated to get through it, and then when I started to understand what I was reading, it just did not keep my attention. Maybe one day I'l try again, but probably not anytime soon.

1) Divergent by Veronica Roth


I think I've tried to read this book three or four times. Each time I haven't gotten past the bus scene in the first chapter, which is only a couple pages in.  I just can't do it. I know a couple people who really love the book and keep telling me to give it another shot, but every time I do, it's just... BLAH! Then as I was watching through random booktuber vid's I came across Ginger Reads Lainey's video about how she hated the third book, Allegiant. Knowing I hadn't finished the first book and probably wasn't going to read it any time soon, I watched the video (which can be found here) and not only laughed at how mad Lainey got, but it kinda settled it for me. I don't need to read the book. Plus, there's really no interest in the movies either, I haven't seen either one yet.

So there you have it, my top five for this week of books I have not finished. I'm sure there are others but these were the first one's to come to mind. If you're interested in Top 5 Wednesday the goodreads group is found HERE and Ginger Reads Lainey's youtube page is HERE.

See you in the funny pages

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Series Novellas

This is my first post for T5W (links below the post) and while I'm excited to start updating the blog with these posts, I think the first month or two might be a bit bare. I haven't always been the fiercest reader, as a matter of fact, growing up I was a very reluctant reader. But as a writer, I know I need to read more, so I'm hoping doing this exercise of blogging about books, and watching booktubers and their Top 5 Wednesday posts, will give me more recommendations on books to read.

Also, just as a side note, I am a cartoonist and love comic books, so inserted in my Top 5 Wednesday posts, I will include comics. Because I like comics. Bowties comics are cool.

Anyways, let's get on with it, shall we?

This week's T5W is Favorite Series Novellas. 

I've only read or started to read a couple novella series, so in this list, I'm going to include some series that I've been wanting to read, but just haven't had a chance yet. (This list is in no specific order.)

First is The Eva Series, by author J.M. Wilde

This is a series I just recently discovered as I was looking for a good zombie story to read and came across this. "As They Rise" is the first story in a three part series, and it was really good. Towards the end of the story, while they are at the gas station (no spoilers), I found myself cringe with anticipation on what was gonna happen next. I'm really looking forward to getting into the second part, "While We Fall".


Second is another series, I haven't finished yet, but thoroughly enjoyed the first two stories. It's "The Flash Gold Chronicles" by Lindsay Buroker.

A steampunk adventure story, almost like a old western, but set in the Yukon, Flash Gold is the first in the series. about a girl named Kali trying to win a race for the prize money to get her out of her surroundings. Filled with steampunk inventions, airships, and some alchemy, it's right up my alley, and I really need to find the time to finish the other two novellas in this, so far, four part series.

The next three are some series that I haven't read yet, but I've got on my "to read" list.

Fat Vampire by Johnny B Truant

This is the description that hooked me, taken from the Amazon page:
"When overweight treadmill salesman Reginald Baskin finally meets a co-worker who doesn't make fun of him, it's just his own bad luck that tech guy Maurice turns out to be a two thousand-year-old vampire.

And when Maurice turns Reginald to save his life, it's just Reginald's own further bad luck that he wakes up to discover he's become the slowest, weakest, most out-of-shape vampire ever born, doomed to "heal" to his corpulent self for all of eternity.

As Reginald struggles with the downsides of being a fat vampire -- too slow to catch people to feed on, mocked by those he tries to glamour, assaulted by his intended prey and left for undead -- he discovers in himself rare powers that few vampires have… and just in time too, because the Vampire Council might just want his head for being an inferior representative of their race."

I gotta get into this one, it sounds funny and exciting.

Forth is Hugh Howey's Wool (Silo Series)

 This has been on my list for quiet some time and I just haven't gotten to it yet. Hugh Howey is most likely a house-hold name to the indie publishers out there and this series got Howey a lot of mainstream attention. It's a post-apocalyptic, science fiction tale, both subjects I'm a fan of. I have the first one on my Kindle, I just need to read it.

And lastly, is another Hugh Howey one, called Beacon 23. 

 Here's the description from the Amazon page: "For centuries, men and women have manned lighthouses to ensure the safe passage of ships. It is a lonely job, and a thankless one for the most part. Until something goes wrong. Until a ship is in distress. 

In the 23rd century, this job has moved into outer space. A network of beacons allows ships to travel across the Milky Way at many times the speed of light. These beacons are built to be robust. They never break down. They never fail. 

At least, they aren't supposed to."

So that's it. No comics in this week's T5W, mostly because there aren't really novella series in comic books. If it's a series, it's fully loaded issues to make a full graphic novel, and if it doesn't sell well, then the series get's cut short with only a volume or two. I might have cheated a little by listing two Howey series, but they both sound really cool.

That's it for this week's Top 5 Wednesday. I'll have another Top 5 next week with the next topic.

If you're curious about T5W, it was created by Ginger Reads Lainey and the goodreads group can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/118368-top-5-wednesday

Just another update

Almost a month has gone by without an update. I never really know what to blog about, but I think that will start to change. Here's what I got cooking, going into November:

First off, it's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and after thinking about doing it for the last couple years, I'm going to take the plunge and commit this year. Sure, I'm nearly halfway through one book right now, but that's okay. The more the merrier right....?

Also, Urban Myth Investigators is still updating, but has been downgraded from being updated twice a week to updated once a week. The coloring of the book really just isn't feasible for myself right now, so after these next couple weeks with updates on the site, www.umicomic.com - it'll return to simply black and white comic pages. While I'm a little bummed about that, it'll be better in the long run. I enjoy drawing and think I'm okay, but I know my limits, so I'm not trying to focus on making the pages the best anyone has ever seen. I'm more focused on presenting a fun and enjoyable story for people to read, and I can do that without color.


And lastly, as I said, I think I'll be able to start updating more now, as I've come across a couple things that go hand in hand. Booktube and Top 5 Wednesday. So, I had no idea what booktube was, until a couple weeks ago and found this entire community of book lovers on youtube, who make videos to talk about books they are reading or will read or want to read. It's really cool. Along with booktube, one of the booktuber's created this tag called Top 5 Wednesday, where everyone records their "top 5 whatever" that's been picked for the week. It could be top 5 graphic novels, top 5 authors, all kinds of cool topics. And not only do booktubers make videos on the subject, book bloggers blog about it too.

While I'm not a book blogger, I really love the idea, and think this is a fun way to talk more about the books I'm reading or want to read and actually get me to read more. It pains me to say this, since writers aren't supposed to be this way, but I've always been a reluctant reader. So contributing to this will hopefully not only be something fun I can write about, but also encourage myself to read more, because as all the greats say, if you wanna be a good writer, you need to read a lot. So look for my first Top 5 Wednesday the first week of November.

Oh, and if you wanna know more about Top 5 Wednesday, it was created by booktuber Ginger Reads Lainey (https://www.youtube.com/user/gingerreadslainey) and the thread for topics is found on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/118368-top-5-wednesday.

Okay, that's it for now,
See you in the funny pages!

Just writing, not much else

Just a quick update to keep the cobwebs from building up on the blog.

Not a lot of things to update on right now, but stuff is getting done. I'm currently writing a YA science-fiction book that involves superheroes.

And of course, Urban Myth Investigators is still updating. Once issue three of UMI ends, I'm going to post something else on the site, as a little break until the next story line starts for the UMI boys. It'll still be Urban Myth Investigators related, but it's not a comic. It'll be fun. I'll update about it when it starts updating.

That's it for now, but things are cooking. Irons are in the fire. Big things are coming, please keep following along :)

See ya in the funny pages!

Long Beach Comic Con

I was meaning to post this earlier in the week, but coming back from the convention things got hectic. But now I can finally write a little about my time at the Long Beach Comic Con. It was great.

 

Here's my table on Saturday, Day 1.

 

Day 2, I changed it up a little

All in all, this convention went great. As I keep telling myself, slowly but surely, I keep trying to build an audience. My first goal for conventions is to try to cover the expense for the show itself, which means table fees, transportation, and any hotel costs. While I've yet to cover the costs of a convention, this was the best convention I've done so far, and I made nearly half the money back. Some people might think that's not worth it, but that's coming a long ways from the first convention I ever tabled at, where I think I sold 3 comic books. 

Another great discovery at this convention was that I brought out my wrestling artwork to some good reception. As it says in some of my social media profiles, I'm a pro-wrestling fan, so I thought I'd put out the artwork and see what happens. I've heard before, and always thought, that there was a good crossover audience out there of wrestling fans and comic books fans, and it's true. The artwork caught eyes and people came over and checked it out. I was doing my "5 Dollar Doodles" and I was able to do a number of those commissions for some pro-wrestling fans. And even if they didn't want any artwork, it was cool to chat with other wrestling fans out there! For my next show I'll definitely be doing my 5 Dollar Doodles again, I think I might do them in watercolor. But I'm going to work on some prints of a few things, as those seem to be better sellers.

Speaking of my next show, I was hoping to make it to Comikaze in October, but it doesn't look like that will be happening. So, my next show will most likely be the Long Beach Comic Expo in February. 

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, got a copy of Urban Myth Investigators or just talked wrestling. 

Here some pictures I took of some great cosplayers at the con.

Alrighty, that's it for now. I'm working on finishing up the color in Urban Myth Investigators and also working on a new prose book. Any Dieselpunk fans out there?

See ya in the funny pages!

Updating about LBCC on Snapchat this weekend

I'm taking advantage of it this weekend, as I'll be in Long Beach, for Long Beach Comic Con. If you're going to the show, swing by artist alley and come say hi. I'm at Table B5.

That's it for now,

LBCC This Weekend!

If you're in the Southern California area, or maybe passing through, check out Long Beach Comic Con at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Now in it's sixth year (I think), LBCC is an awesome comic convention and this is going to be my second year being in artist alley. I was there a few years back, but still trying to figure out everything in my comic making career.

This year is going to be awesome! I'm going to have issues of Urban Myth Investigators issue one with me, plus a free mini-comic, and I'll have pages of UMI available to see and purchase. I'l hoping to have a couple more items, but we'll see.

If you're anywhere near So Cal this weekend, Sept. 12th, and 13th, you should check out the convention and swing by artist alley, table B5, and come say hi! :)

Urban Myth Investigators in now on comiXology!

Today UMI finally launched on Comixology. If you've never heard of Comixology, it's a popular app for phones and tablets for digital comics. Think iTunes for comics.

It can take a couple months for the process to go through, but it finally has, and I'm super excited that Urban Myth Investigators finally available on that platform!

Here's the link: bit.ly/1PAxgpr 

You can still download issue two on Amazon and as a DRM-Free PDF on my Gumroad page.

That's it for now,
See ya in the funny pages!

Ending and Beginnings

Quick Saturday night update!

This week on umicomic.com we update with the last new pages of issue two, so just over a week from tonight, Urban Myth Investigators Issue 3 begins updating!

The ending of issue two this week on the website will coincide with the release of Urban Myth Investigators Issue 2 on ComiXology! I'll post a link up on Wednesday for anyone who gets their comics through comixology so they can download it. It's only 99 cents!

That's it for now,
See ya in the funny pages!

It's not how many times you fall down...

I don't think I'm in any position to give any advice about comics. Whether it's breaking in to comics, or making comics, or selling comics. I'm just trying to figure it out as I go.

As it is right now, I have published a terribly bad first comic, struggled through a webcomic, published two mini-comics that, while not outstanding by any means, were remarkably better than the first comic book I published, and now have two more full comic books out and published. The said two mini-comics and latest two full comic books are the Cutlery mini-comics and Urban Myth Investigators, respectively. And they can be downloaded as my digital comic shop, gumroad.com/imrontucker. *plug*plug*

There are times when I get a little down, and think my dream of becoming a full-time comic book writer and cartoonist is never going to happen (and by "full-time" I mean being able to support myself fully on my creative works). Those times, as far as I've read, seen, and researched seem to happen to a lot of creative souls.

But then I plop myself down at my desk, whip out a pencil, some pens and some paper and just press on. Just keep moving forward, because this is what I want to do.

Getting a little personal here, I'm in my thirties, though many people tell me I don't even look 21. I've come to grips with family life just not being for me. Sure, it could happen, but by happenstance and by choice, I'm single, with no one I need to support but myself. That means, I do have a leg up, in pursuing my dreams, as crass as that may sound. I don't have a wife, or a child that depends on me to feed, or pay bills, or even spend time with. Like I said, I'm come to grips with that, for the most part. Because of the career I want. So I draw. I write. I create.

My current comic book being published right now is Urban Myth Investigators. Currently the first two issues are available to download, and on the website, umicomic.com, is being updated currently with pages from the second issue. I update that webcomic through tumblr, as a means of easy navigation, and more importantly, an easy way for people to come across it and to share it. Today I gained my 14th follower on the tumblr site.

As low as that number may seem, I got that notification today and smiled. After three month of posting pages, I'm slowly building an audience.

And now in the next couple months I will be at two comic conventions, to hopefully keep growing that audience.

There's a saying, that it's not how many times you fall down, but how many times you get up. You have to keep pressing forward. I will achieve my goal of becoming a full-time cartoonist. It will happen. You have to believe. I believe.

UMI issue 2 available on Amazon

You can now download Urban Myth Investigators, Issue 2, on Amazon!

Here's the link: Urban Myth Investigators Issue 2

All you need is a Kindle and download away! If you've got a tablet that's not a Kindle, just download it through the Amazon Kindle App!

Remember, if you want the comic in PDF form, you can still download it from my Gumroad page at gumroad.com/imrontucker.

That's it for now,
See ya in the funny pages!

Urban Myth Investigators issue 2 NOW AVAILABLE!

I just updated my gumroad page with the second issue of Urban Myth Investigators! Soon to be on Amazon and Comixology too. When it's available on those sites, I'll be sure to post an update.

In the meantime, if you want a DRM-Free pdf of issue two, which you can read on any device that displays PDF's, you can download it at gumroad.com/imrontucker.

Starting this week, on http://umicomic.com, the site will begin to update with issue two. The site only updates twice a week, so it'll be a while until the full story is updated on the site, so what better way to read the whole story in one sitting now, than to download the PDF.

That's it for now.

See ya in the funny pages!

There is no try.

Getting close to finishing my pitch for my next project. Still a long ways to go, as I will be submitting to comic publishers and agents, but if all else fails, and no one bites, I'll be publishing it myself, because I really believe in this project.

If I do end up self-publishing it, I'll talk about it more, but for now I'll just tell you it's an all-ages, space adventure with an 11 year old little girl as the hero of  the story. It's awesome! :)

As I'm working on it, I've been listening to podcasts, as I usually do, and I thought I'd link to a couple specific podcast episodes, because the guest on them, just tell it like it is. Making comics can be grueling and is a long process. You've got to cut out all the things that are necessary and focus on the comic. 

One was on Paper Wings podcasts, and one is Comics Are Great podcast, where in both instances, the guests say basically, "Hey, focus! You can't say you wanna makes comics and then go off and play video games or watch the newest episodes of tv shows that are on. You've got to focus."

So that's what I'm doing.

Focusing. Do or do not. There is no try.

With that being said, he's that part of Star Wars, where Yoda deals out that invaluable advice.

See ya in the funny pages!

WWE Fan Art

While I'm still working on Urban Myth Investigators, an trying to finish up a proposal for my newest book, I continue to sketch out future possible stories and just draw. One thing I like is wrestling, and lately I've been drawing some WWE fan art.

The drawings are done on a cardstock paper, and most of them are colored with crayon or colored pencil. Below is a preview of some of them (Undertaker is done in watercolor). In the next week, I'm going to set up an etsy account and post them over there, to buy. I'll post about it, when it goes up.

See ya in the funny pages!

Hello out there from Blogland

I'm trying to update the blog at least once a week, but I missed last week.

Just over here writing and drawing. I'm really trying to nail down a pitch for a project I really wanna get published somewhere, whether that be with a comic publisher or a traditional publisher. So I've been trying to hammer and smooth out the plot/synopsis that lots of publishers need to see, to make sure you've got the whole story.

This is new for me, since I've just been publishing my own wok, I keep notes jotted down in different notebooks and sketches scattered around and then sketch out my on thumbnails. I know what's going on and what's happening, but if I was to show a publisher the way I worked on Urban Myth Investigators, it'd look like a big ol' bundle of randomness. So this is a good learning process.

Anyways, that's it for now. I'll update next week with.... something.

See ya in the funny pages.

Free Comic Book Day 2015

This year's Free Comic Book Day was pretty awesome.

I didn't sell a ton of comics, but for the most part it was super fun and successful in a different way. I drew some sketches for some kids, sold a couple paintings, and most importantly, just got the word out there, not only about Urban Myth Investigators, but myself as a independent cartoonist.

I didn't get a chance to take a lot of pictures, and hardly any of my sketches, but below are some pics of the event.

Here's my little table. :)

These are two carnival games I painted. You could play games and win prizes, by tossing bean bags through the holes, or knocking off the little figures, and the proceeds go to the Palm Springs Comic-Con people. They are trying to bring a comic convention out here to the desert!








And below is one of the caricatures I did. Then we have a bunch of the cosplay. Harley Quin was really popular this year!

Alrighty, that's it for now. Gotta get back to the ol' drawing desk. These comics ain't gonna draw themselves!


See ya in the funny pages!

Tomorrow is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!!!

Yes it is!




For those that don't know, Free Comic Book Day, is the first Saturday in May, every year, where comic book stores around the world offer certain comics for free to everyone who comes in. Different stores have their own system, but usually you can get at least one free comic book, and if you buy something at the store, you probably get more.

For the last three years, I've gone to Desert Oasis Comics, in Palm Desert, and had a table there to sell my self-published comics, and do free sketches. This year, I'm doing it again.

What's extra cool, is that there's a group out here trying to get a Palm Springs Comic Convention set up, and they're organizing the FCBD event this year, so there's gonna be games, cosplay, food trucks and all kinds of cool stuff.

I'll be there nearly all day, doing free quick sketches and caricatures, plus I'll have Urban Myth Investigators issue one for sale!

If you're in the Palm Springs area, you should different head on down to Desert Oasis Comics and check it out!

Hello again...

It's the constant struggle. To have this website, or just use twitter and tumblr. Or both. Or nothing. Well, not nothing, I obviously need something online.

Anyways, I'm back on this blog, as well as Tumblr and Twitter.

Tumblr will be for random re-blog stuff, and here I'll post updates and news stuff for myself. Again.

Anyways, Urban Myth Investigators is updating now on RT3Comics.com! You should go over and read the first page, and I also have the first two Cutlery mini-comics up to read. Check it out!

This Saturday I'll be at Desert Oasis Comics, in Palm Desert, for Free Comic Book Day. I'll be doing sketches and caricatures, as well as have my comic, Urban Myth Investigators for sale. Stop on by if you're in the Coachella Valley. It's gonna be awesome.

See ya in the funny pages!

Urban Myth Investigators

I'm kicking 2015 off right and releasing my comic, Urban Myth Investigators!

Urban Myth Investigators is an all-ages comics about a team of cryptids that investigate disturbances or other urban myths and anomalies. The UMI team is lead by Earl The Gnome, with Steve Sasquatch, and the rookie Chupie, a chupacabra. Plus, they're assisted by B.O.T., an A.I. encyclopedia of the universe.

Today is the first day the comic will be updated online, and it will be updated every Monday.

HTTP://UMICOMIC.TUMBLR.COM

I'm in the process of finishing up the PDF, and the digital comic should be available to purchase next week. Then the physical comic should be available in February.

Plus, I've just finished drawing issue two of Urban Myth Investigators, so that's awesome!

Be sure to check out the comic. Thanks!

HTTP://UMICOMIC.TUMBLR.COM

My word for 2015 is...

Moxie. I love the definition sign's last few words. Just plain guts. You got to have moxie to achieve what you want to achieve. Yesterday I talked about the determination for accomplishing my goals, so in a nutshell I need moxie. Courage, drive, determination, the absolute wherewithal inside of myself to not take no for an answer. To get out there and do it!

Do you have the moxie to follow your dreams?

Let's do it!!!