July Newsletter: Book Updates, Public Appearances and @HalSparks - Oh My!

Hello, my lovelies. I hope your summer is going along well. I have just completed Book #22 (Chasing Thunder,) and am about 30K words away from finishing book #23 (The Leftover Club.) I learned a lot of things writing two books at the same time, and that was that I should probably never do that again. I'm a bit OCD when it comes to the creation process. Splitting my mania between two projects made both books take a whole lot longer to get from outline to completed project, which I found more frustrating than productive. Lesson learned!

The good news for all of you is that in August, you'll get not one but TWO new books from me, one of which starts a brand new series that I hope to complete by the end of the year.

Because who needs sleep?



The reason I am writing so much the rest of this year is because for the first six months of 2015, I'll be doing an unofficial tour across the country (and internationally.) Each month until June 2015, I'll be traveling to various book signings. I hope to add three more dates to the roster, including London. I'll update those finalized plans in the August newsletter.

Until then, here are my confirmed dates.

August 16, 2014 - Indie Author Event Houston Mashup, Houston, Texas.
January 16, 2015 - Indie Author Event Phoenix Mashup, Phoenix, Arizona.
February 7, 2015 - Deep in the Heart Author Event, Austin, Texas.
March 20, 2015 - Indie Author Event Detroit Mashup, Detroit, Michigan.
April 18, 2015 - UK date, finalizing details
May 1, 2015 - Hard Rock Author Event, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
June 13, 2015 - Indie Author Event Toronto Mashup, Toronto, Canada.

A little trailer to whet the appetite.



I've decided to make a commemorative copy of the Fullerton Family Saga available for people who make it to these events. It's a complete volume that includes three books in one, honoring our favorite Fullerton, Jonathan, on the cover.

If I released it, it would be a $29.99 value. I'm selling it at the book signings for $20. But even if you can't make it to one of the many places I'll be appearing, I'll be doing fun little giveaways here on the blog, starting in September. The Labor Day giveaway will be HUGE, so you definitely want to keep an eye out for it.

I'll give you a hint, it's another scavenger hunt... and the books I've been giving away like mad will play a VERY big part in earning the grand prize, which I can already tell you values over $100. So all the TBT blogs and those stories are going to be where I mine my questions.

The reason I'm telling you now is because today, July 11, I'm giving away FIVE books completely free. If you haven't secured your copies yet, be sure to do so now. But do it quick because the sale ends at midnight(ish) Pacific Standard Time.

If you're in Los Angeles, my pal Hal Sparks and his band Zero 1 are hosting a regular Monday gig at The Dragonfly in Hollywood. I've been to several of their shows and they really know how to rock, and they'll be hosting regular guests to turn your Mondays up to 11. Befriend them on Facebook to get on the $5 list.

And who knows? You may even see me there! Like say... this coming Monday. ;)

I see you shiver... with antci.........................................pation.



Finally, if you have any questions for me, head on over to Goodreads. Ask me anything!

That's it for this month, kids. See you in August!

April Giveaway! It's Hipster Cool for the Ustream Crew

This month's giveaway is dedicated to the faithful crew who attend Hal Sparks' Ustream broadcasts each week. It's hip, it's fun and it includes some of the things that make hanging out twice a week so great.

First, of course, is our host Hal Sparks. He's an actor. He's a comedian. He's a radio host. But he's also a pretty awesome musician/singer/songwriter. His band, Zero 1, came out with an independently produced self titled CD in 2007 that features such fan favorites as "Mad Season," "Pretty Parasite," "Indian Summer" and "She Waits."




You can download the tunes via Amazon and iTunes, but in this prize package you will receive the Zero 1 CD (which you can take to a show and have Hal sign,) valued at $7.99.

One of Hal's favorite companies is Threadless - a Chicago based company that pioneered the concept of "crowdsourcing". Threadless allows artists to submit their designs and the community votes on those to list for sale. Hal can regularly be seen sporting these hip, cool T-shirts during his Ustream broadcasts and always promotes their product as a company he can believe in.

A special about Threadless on MSNBC from Threadless.com on Vimeo.

This prize package contains a $25 Threadless gift certificate so you can have a hipster cool T-shirt for your very own.

Though it hasn't been released yet in paperback, my novel "Comic Squad" is a fun and adventurous romp that really is the baby conceived by Mr. Geevie and myself. It mixes our sometimes quirky humor along with a story I really feel means something, the theme being everyone can be their own hero. I wrote the story before I joined the Hal Sparks community all those years ago, but rewrote it with the inspiration to include a significant part for Hal himself that would take the character from a Zero to a Hero over the course of the book.

When this book becomes available for sale by the end of April it will be priced at $10.99, and you will get an autographed copy of "Comic Squad" by *both* Steven and me.

Don't let its being listed as a kids book throw you. It was written with the same kind of vibe of 80s kids movies I grew up watching (although, ironically, it was not based on Monster Squad, since I never saw that back in the day.) I tried to infuse the fun, the humor and the heart of the late, great John Hughes in a tale that could reach out to the kid in all of us. Anyone who has read a comprehensive list of my work will tell you "Comic Squad" is their favorite. (And probably a welcome reprieve if you've taken on the heavier task of reading the dark drama "Dirty Little Secrets.")

You can read a sample chapter here.

Exclusive to the paperback is the first chapter to the next book in the series, which gives you a little extra sumthin'sumthin. ;)

Rounding out this prize package is a $20 Barnes and Noble Gift eCard - where you can now buy my titles for your Nook.

This brings your total prize package to over $60.00. (Special thanks to Mary and to Linnea for their suggestions. :) )

HOW TO ENTER:

For each comment below your name will be entered into the drawing. For additional entries, link this blog on your Twitter using the hashtag #geevietakeson #giveaway. For Facebook entries, become a fan on my official fan page and leave a comment on this wall posting.

Your name will be entered for each entry method, and you can enter as many times as you'd like all throughout the month. The entry cutoff date is April 29, 2011.

The drawing will be held live via my Ustream channel on April 30th.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Zero 1 (featuring Hal Sparks)

If all you know of Hal Sparks is that he is a regular wise acre on VH1 or the shy and becoming Michael Novotny on Queer as Folk, then you only know half the story.

Hal is more than an actor or comedian. He is also an accomplished musician and talented songwriter, and he fronts his own metal/alt rock band Zero 1.

Influenced heavily by godfathers KISS and classic 80s metal, Zero 1's 2007 debut CD is a dizzying mosaic of hard driving guitar riffs, sensitive and socially aware lyrics as well as deep, rich orchestral arrangements. Essentially Zero 1 benefits most from what makes independently produced music so great.

Diversity.

The first track on the CD, "Mad Season", was also the first single, and it helped the band reach #52 on Reverbnation in the rock category for Los Angeles based bands. Before you get a chance to catch your breath, the hard-driving "Helsinki" and biting social commentary of "Animal" equally take you by the throat and refuse to let go.

Power ballads as "She Waits", "Satellites" and the seductive "Indian Summer" are equally as gripping, with the sheer musicianship and haunting melodies of each song.

"S.O.S." punctuates the journey with beautiful accompaniment that is nothing short of symphonic.

For the initial outing, Hal was joined by his cousin Miles Loretta on drums, and bassist and friend Robert Hall, who earned fame as a special effects wizard and brain behind "Almost Human", the FX company behind such TV shows as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." Their chemistry together was undeniable.

Assisting in some producing mastery was dUg Pinnick of progressive metal band Kings X. This labor of love by a group of professionals who truly value creative mastery will surprise you, especially since it defies being delegated into any kind of niche. This is more than an actor playing rock star. It's a group of talented musicians who understand the delicate balance between lyric and melody that makes music the living, breathing work of art it truly is.

The next album by the band, "The Sacred Nothing," is due out in 2011, along with the release of the band's first video "American Pyscho." Zero 1 now comprises Hal, Brian Crow, Bumper Renga and Lance Tamanaha.



Follow Hal's official Twitter page for information regarding the band, including any special U-Stream broadcasts of band rehearsals. Become a fan of Zero 1 on Reverbnation where you can join their street team.