Tag: Arisia 2018

Weekly Update – January 23, 2018

On By ronsonbeckIn Action Figures, Business of writing, Event, Novels, Strongarm & Lightfoot, Well Behaved Women, Writing process, Young AdultLeave a comment

Big announcement time!

Over the weekend I signed a contract with a Boston-based indie comic company, Underdog Comics, to write a mini-comic for them. It’s a steampunk adventure called Freedom Winds and features a crew of women pirates fighting the so-called “triangle trade” during the Golden Age of Piracy.

Underdog Comics’ overarching mission is to increase diversity in media, and that’s a mission I can get behind.

I met the company’s founder, Tessa, at Arisia 2018, and after talking about Action Figures and what I try to do with that series in terms of representation, she asked if I’d be interested in writing a script for her. She had a couple of concepts in need of a writer, one of which was “steampunk pirate women.” By the end of the day I’d come up with some characters and a basic concept, and I spent the following week fleshing it out. I finished the script this past weekend and submitted it on Sunday.

Tessa herself will be the artist on the mini-comic, and I’ve already seen some of her character sketches. They’re looking pretty damn cool.

Freedom Winds is scheduled for a March release. I’ll keep you all updated as things progress.

WRITING PROJECTS

Well Behaved Women: Got some more work done but, for time constraint reasons, not as much as I’d hoped. My day gig is back in full swing, though so hopefully I’ll return to pounding out more than a page a day. In the meantime, I managed to finish work on one of the costumes for the March photo shoot, and I think it looks pretty damn good.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – book four: First draft in progress.

Action Figures – Issue Seven: The Black End War: Edited and formatted, waiting on cover art.

Action Figures – Issue Eight: Crawling from the Wreckage: Third draft written.

Action Figures – Issue Nine: Rough plotting in progress.

Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins (audiobook): Review completed, final editing in progress.

APPEARANCES and EVENTS

  • Saturday, February 17, 5 PM to 9 PM: Connecticut Renaissance Faire/Robin Hood’s Faire Meet the Directors Mixer. The producers of the Connecticut Renaissance Faire in Lebanon, CT and Robin Hood’s Faire, which has relocated this year to Lancaster, MA, are hosting a special promotional event at their Southbridge, MA headquarters to drum up interest in this year’s auditions for the two shows. If you’re interested, stop on by to meet with the directors — including me! I’ll be returning to the spring show as fight director.

MISC.

I’m taking part in a month-long cross-promotion with several other superhero fiction authors, and until January 31 you can grab Action Figures – Issue One: Secret Origins along with 32 other titles for free!

It’s the final countdown for the New England Speculative Writers group’s open call for its first anthology. If you’re a New England-based writer, you’re eligible to submit a story. The deadline for submission is January 31, so get cracking! Go here to get the full details.

Finally, if you’d like to make sure you don’t miss any news from me, remember that I have a weekly newsletter that features some of the stuff you see posted here plus new, newsletter-exclusive material. Click this link to sign up.

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Panel Time! Fight Science for Writers

On By ronsonbeckIn EventLeave a comment

Just 15 minutes until my next panel:

Fight Science for Writers – Hands-On Demos – 4 PM – Otis (2W)

Have you ever wondered how your fight scene would look acted out in real life? Here’s your chance to play with some toy soldiers, see your fight scene acted out with authentic weapons, and listen to our panel of martial artists and authors SHOW you what works vs. doesn’t work in your or other writer’s fiction. Mark Millman (m), Michael Bailey, Rachel A. Brune, Genevieve Iseult Eldredge, Dan “Grim” Marsh.

Arisia 2018 – Day Three Begins!

On By ronsonbeckIn EventLeave a comment

A day of rest? Ha! It’s another busy day here at Arisia 2018. The dealers room has opened for the day and will be open until 7 PM, and I have not one but two panels today! Hope to see you here!

Stage Presentation: A Minute or Less to Impress – 11:30 AM – Faneuil (3W)

A minute can seem so short when trying to put together a masquerade presentation, but it can feel like an eternity on stage. How do you use the time allowed to both entertain the audience and wow the judges? Can it be done in less than 30 seconds? Gaia Eirich (m), Michael Bailey, Jill Eastlake, James Hinsey, Anastasia Holt

Fight Science for Writers – Hands-On Demos – 4 PM – Otis (2W)

Have you ever wondered how your fight scene would look acted out in real life? Here’s your chance to play with some toy soldiers, see your fight scene acted out with authentic weapons, and listen to our panel of martial artists and authors SHOW you what works vs. doesn’t work in your or other writer’s fiction. Mark Millman (m), Michael Bailey, Rachel A. Brune, Genevieve Iseult Eldredge, Dan “Grim” Marsh.

Panel Time! We Got Movie Sign!: Mystery Science Theater 3000

On By ronsonbeckIn EventLeave a comment

Starting in just 15 minutes:

We Got Movie Sign!: Mystery Science Theater 3000 – 10 PM – Burroughs (3E)

After a Kickstarter campaign that wound up becoming the most successful media-related effort in its history, Joel Hodgson brought his creation back to an audience starved for the opportunity to see puppets snark at bad movies. With new host Jonah Ray, the return of MST3K was an immediate success story for Netflix and precipitated a live tour. Join the discussion as we go over the new episodes, argue about the new cast, and speculate what a twelfth season might bring! Bob Chipman (m), Michael Bailey, Sidney J Hackney, Cassandra Lease, Dan Toland.

Arisia 2018 – Dealers Room is Closed

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That’s it for the day, folks. The dealers room is closed, but it will re-open tomorrow at 10 AM.

But that doesn’t mean the night is over! There’s still a lot going on, including my panel this evening:

We Got Movie Sign!: Mystery Science Theater 3000 – 10 PM – Burroughs (3E)

After a Kickstarter campaign that wound up becoming the most successful media-related effort in its history, Joel Hodgson brought his creation back to an audience starved for the opportunity to see puppets snark at bad movies. With new host Jonah Ray, the return of MST3K was an immediate success story for Netflix and precipitated a live tour. Join the discussion as we go over the new episodes, argue about the new cast, and speculate what a twelfth season might bring! Bob Chipman (m), Michael Bailey, Sidney J Hackney, Cassandra Lease, Dan Toland.

Arisia 2018 – Day Two Begins!

On By ronsonbeckIn EventLeave a comment
My neighbors, Broad Universe. I’m in a great neighborhood.

Good morning, Arisia 2018!

The dealers room is now open for the day and will stay open until 7 PM. Come on down, say hi, pick up some signed books, and go see what my neighbors have to offer. You can find a full list of dealers here.

If you can, stick around after the dealers room closes and come check out my first panel:

We Got Movie Sign!: Mystery Science Theater 3000 – 10 PM – Burroughs (3E)

After a Kickstarter campaign that wound up becoming the most successful media-related effort in its history, Joel Hodgson brought his creation back to an audience starved for the opportunity to see puppets snark at bad movies. With new host Jonah Ray, the return of MST3K was an immediate success story for Netflix and precipitated a live tour. Join the discussion as we go over the new episodes, argue about the new cast, and speculate what a twelfth season might bring! Bob Chipman (m), Michael Bailey, Sidney J Hackney, Cassandra Lease, Dan Toland.