Bobby Nash gets Tied Up, Tied Down, and Tied in Knots at Speculative Chic!

 

Oh, no! I forgot to share the guest post I wrote for Speculative Chic on March 14th (I filled in for my friend, Venessa Giunta, who was recovering from surgery at the time). 

Without further ado, and better late than never, I present 'Tied Up, Tied In, and Tied In Knots -- On Media Tie-In Writing with Bobby Nash' HERE as I talk about some of my experiences writing tie-in fiction.

Enjoy.

Bobby

NOIR AT THE BAR SUPPORTS #TEAMEVIE

Noir At The Bar - L.A. is back and we're on a mission. All across the country the last week in October Noir at the Bar chapters will band together to host events to support #TeamEvie and our friend, author Duane Swierczynski and his family. Duane's daughter, Evie, is bravely battling leukemia and the crime fiction community is coming together to help and to raise some funds. In addition to the stellar lineup of authors, we'll be holding raffles and auctioning off prizes including a few from yours truly. Check out the full line up and raffle prizes at www.facebook.com/events/147841259502193 and https://twitter.com/ericbeetner.

If you're in LA, join authors Sara Gran, Attica Locke, Gary Phillips, David J Schow, Aaron Phillip Clark, Anna Snoekestra (all the way from Australia) Dennis Palumbo and the man himself, Duane Swierczynski for a stellar evening hosted by Eric Beetner and Steve W. Lauden. Although I can't be there in person, I am thrilled to be there in spirit to support #TeamEvie

If you can't attend and want to help, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help at www.gofundme.com/pcsv88-team-evie.

Bobby

AND THE WINNER IS...

Congratulations to patron and pal, Little John Nacinovich! John is the winner of my Patreon exclusive giveaway! What did he win, you ask? Well, John won a Nightbeat: Night Stories CD box set and... and... as a surprise bonus, he also gets a Box Thirteen "Adventure Wanted" CD box set as well. Both autographed by me to keep the value lowered (HA! HA!) I will get them in the mail to you this week, man.

It's not to late to join us on Patreon. Subscribe today for first looks at upcoming projects, early access to new releases, exclusive content and giveaways, and so much more. Subscribe today at www.patreon.com/bobbynash.

Congratulations again!

Bobby

Learn more about these CD box sets below...

PATRON EXCLUSIVE FOR SEPTEMBER - NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES!

This month, patrons who subscribe to the $5 and up tiers at www.patreon.com/bobbynash received an ebook copy of Radio Archives NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES. This was a fun project and I had a great time listening to the radio show this anthology is based on. My story is called "The One That Got Away" Join us on Patreon today! www.patreon.com/bobbynash

A snippet:
Happy September, my friends. I appreciate your patience with this month's ebook while I was at Dragon Con. While it is easily my favorite con of the year, it is also an exhausting one. It was great seeing some of you there. I hope you all had a grand ol' time.

This month, my patrons received an ebook copy of an oldie, but goody. Premiering in November 2012 from Radio Archives, NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES was released in ebook (Kindle) and audio formats. It was the first time I ever heard my work read aloud as an audiobook, which was equal parts bizarre and cool.

A little history. Nightbeat was an NBC radio drama series that aired February 6, 1950 – September 25, 1952. The show was sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer and Wheaties. Nightbeat told the story of Randy (originally "Lucky") Stone, a reporter who covered the night beat for the Chicago Star, encountering criminals and troubled souls. Listeners were invited to join Stone as he "searches through the city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness." Stone was portrayed on the show by actor Frank Lovejoy.

Nightbeat: Night Stories features stories by authors Howard Hopkins, William Patrick Murray, Paul Bishop, Tommy Hancock, Mark Squirek, and yours truly. The audio is read by veteran character actor Michael C. Gwynne. Cover by Douglas Klauba. Edited by Tommy Hancock. Published and produced by Radio Archives.

My story is called "The One That Got Away" and it's one of my favorites. I started out planning to write a fairly straightforward story of good guys and bad guys, with a damsel in distress between them. The characters had other plans and the ending became much better by my paying attention to them.

Time to walk the beat.

Bobby

DO YOU LISTEN TO AUDIO BOOKS?

Do you like audio books? Visit me on Audible today.
www.audible.com/author/Bobby-Nash/B002QJ8QQS

Bobby

NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES REVIEWED AT AMAZON!

Big thanks to David M. Sullivan for his short, but sweet Amazon review of Radio Archives' Nightbeat: Night Stories ebook and audio book anthology. Much appreciated, sir. You can read the full review here.

Bobby

The One That Got Away - Bobby Nash

NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES
An Old Time Radio Anthology

Radio Archives’ Nightbeat: Night Stories is available in TWO formats! Already known for producing quality Ebooks and Audiobooks of classic Pulp tales, Radio Archives has just released its first collection of new tales based on an Old Time Radio Program!

In 1950, NBC began broadcasting Nightbeat, considered one of the finest shows of its time. The show featured Randy Stone, a reporter who covered the night beat for the Chicago Star with a unique blend of wit, compassion and toughness.

Radio Archives invites you to return to the streets of Randy Stone's Chicago in Nightbeat: Night Stories. Six brand new Nightbeat stories are now available in both Ebook and Audiobook format. Authors Howard Hopkins, William Patrick Murray, Paul Bishop, Bobby Nash, Tommy Hancock, and Mark Squirek breathe new life into Randy Stone, bringing the nostalgic noir feel of the radio series fans have enjoyed for over sixty years to newly written tales that capture the true essence of Nightbeat.

A mystery involving a puzzle. A mad killer strangling women. A young boy on the wrong road. An old flame threatening to burn again. Blood and Conspiracy in the boxing ring. The murder of a reporter. And at the center of every tale, Randy Stone. This nostalgic newly written collection issued for your reading pleasure in electronic format also features a cover by Douglas Klauba.

Ebook Cover. Art: Doug Klauba

This Collection includes:
Introduction by Tommy Hancock
Strangler by Howard Hopkins
The Chicago Punch by Paul Bishop
Puzzle in Purple by Will Murray
Down Addison Road by Mark Squirek
Lucky by Tommy Hancock
The One That Got Away by Bobby Nash

Step into the world that comes alive when the sun sets with Nightbeat: Night Stories. eBook only $4.99. And the Audiobook also available voiced by veteran Actor Michael C. Gwynne, $23.98 for CDS, $11.99 as a digital download! Six Hours of New Stories based on a Classic Concept!

Audio CD Cover. Art: Douglas Klauba

NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES can be purchased at the following:
Amazon (Kindle)                      Barnes and Noble (Nook)
Radio Archives (ebook)

Radio Archives (Audio CD)      Radio Archives (Audio Digital Download)
iTunes (Audio Download)         Amazon (Audible Audio Download)
Audible (Audio Download)       Audio Book Store (Audio Book)

For even more information on Nightbeat: Night Stories, and all things Nightbeat, All Pulp has an in-depth feature you can read here.

You can read the full Amazon review here.

SOMETIMES I GET ASKED STUFF… PART 11

My apologies for the delay in getting this one posted. Things have been rather hectic here at Nash Central (hey, I kinda like that) with deadlines stacking up so... without further ado, on with the questions.

Doctor's orders.

One of the perks of being a writer is getting to meet some of the most interesting people. Whether it is at conventions, store signings, through the Earth Station One podcast, writer’s groups, on social media, and sometimes just from people I run into on when I venture out of the cave I call my office, and they have questions. Sometimes they are about writing or what I’m working on. Other times they’re out of left field. I thought it would be interesting to share some of them along with a few answers. Regardless of where they come from, here’s a few of the latest.

Check out past installments of Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff... Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here, Part 5 here, Part 6 here, Part 7 here, Part 8 here, Part 9 here, and Part 10 here.

Everyone's an editor.

Q: What is the most helpful piece of writing advice you ever received?

I’ve received a lot of advice in this area over the years on how to write, what to write, when to write, who to write for, and on and on and on… Probably the best advice came when I was just getting started from a writer who told me that no one would care about my book as much as I would and therefore no one would be as big an advocate for promoting my book than me. Turns out, she was right.

Q: How much of you is in your books?

A lot. Every character has a little bit of me in them. Some, more than others, of course, but I like to have something I can identify in each character and I often write little odds and ends from my life into their story. It could be anything from a place they worked to something the character experienced.

Q: What's your favorite Bat-Family book that's not Batman?

Nightwing. Kyle Higgins is telling some fantastic stories with this character.

Q: Who is your biggest fan? Husband or wife? Family member? Lover? Pet? Teacher? Student? Total Stranger?

I really can’t say. I know I have fans because I do receive fan mail and people come up to me and ask about the books. Not sure who the biggest might be though.

Q: How do writers do a "cover reveal"? Post on FB, blog about it? Have a contest?

The correct answer is “whatever works best for you and your book.” I usually tease a blank cover or simple cover design until I'm ready to reveal the full cover. I do the reveal on my website and then post links to the site on social media. That's worked for me so far, I think.

Q: What's genres do you write?

It varies. I've written thrillers, pulp, adventure, detective, horror, sci fi, fantasy, super hero, media tie-ins, and even a western.

Smile you sonnuva...

Q: What are your top 5 movies?

1. JAWS
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3. Tombstone
4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Sir! He's dead already!

5. Star Wars (A New Hope)

The order may change, but these 5 seem to stay near the top of my list.

Rounding out my top 10 are Thor, Empire Strikes Back, Iron Man, The Avengers, and The Thing. At least today. Ask me tomorrow and you might get a different answer.

Q: What’s your favorite Forest Whitaker movie?

He has a small, but memorable role in one of my favorite movies, The Color of Money where he hustles Paul Newman's Fast Eddie in a pool hall.

Q: Have you ever written anything under a pseudonym?

I've never used a pseudonym, but I did come up with a couple of pen names should I ever need them. So far that hasn't been an issue. None of the publishers I work with have had an issue with me using my own name. I have written a few things where I was not credited. This happened after the fact because I believe in credit where it’s due and don’t take on writing assignments where I won’t get credit. I like to be able to talk about projects I’ve worked on and promote them. That’s hard to do when our name isn’t on it.

Q: Which is more difficult for you ... starting or finishing a book?

Finishing. Really, it's the middle that really slows me down the most.

Q: How does your protagonist like to spend his days off?

In Evil Ways, Harold Palmer likes to spend his days off from the FBI with his wife, Beverly, and daughter, Lucy.

In Deadly Games!, John Bartlett spends his days off doing anything and everything

he can to forget the things he deals with on a daily basis. He also drinks a little too much.

Q: When choosing to work on an old, unpublished manuscript in hopes of finding a publisher or self-publishing, do you revise, revise, revise ... or do you simply re-write from beginning to end?

I usually revise, revise, revise, and revise some more until it’s ready.

Q: Do you stress when technology interferes with your daily routine?

Technology is a wonderful thing… except when it doesn’t work.
Sure. Like everyone else, I don't like it when technology decides not to work the way it should.

Q: Hardback, Paperback or E-Book? not what you are published in, what you like to read a book in?

I’ve read books in all three of these formats. My personal favorite is hardback, but all are certainly viable and I’m sure I’ll continue to read books in each format.

Q: Give me your thoughts on 1st person versus third-person subjective (Deep POV).

I personally prefer 3rd Person Narration myself. I’m much more comfortable with it, plus I like to write stories with multiple characters going off in multiple directions so this allows me to move back and forth in the action without having to have one character there for all of it.

That said, I do play with 1st Person POV every now and again. For some stories, I find it works better than others.

Q: What's the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to your protagonist?

In Evil Ways, Harold Palmer journeys to Sommersville, GA to visit his brother, Franklin. Harold calls him “Ray” because it is his middle name. No one else knew that and suddenly, everyone takes great delight in calling Franklin “Ray” because he doesn’t like it.

Q: "Your protagonist is the kind of person who..."

Evil Ways’ Harold Palmer is the kind of person who takes too many chances.

Q: What writing trend makes you want to quit writing all together?

None. Sure, there are trends I don’t like, but there are those who do like them so I say let them have them. The nature of trends is that they will eventually pass and another will take its place. When that happens, I will still be writing what I like to write, regardless of the latest “hot” trend.

Q: What excuse to you use most often to rationalize procrastinating on your writing? 

Interruptions and distractions. I get them all the time and I’ve not learned how to ignore them. This is definitely an are where I need improvement.

Q: What was your introduction to New Pulp?

Being invited by Ron Fortier to be part of the writing team on Lance Star: Sky Ranger.

Q: I LOVE stories of great character development! Which of your characters went through the most challenging changes during a single book or series?

In Deadly Games!, John Bartlett went through the biggest change, I think. This is a man who was all but broken when the story begins. He was living his life by going through the motions. By the end, he’s starting to put things together. Will he be able to keep it together is something I’ll explore next year in the Deadly Deals! Novel. Tease.

Q: What’s the best ESO podcast to go back and listen to?  What’s one of the more memorable ones you can think of?

Good question. I think the last few we've done have been pretty good.
Earth Station One Episode 186 – I Ain’t ‘Fraid of No Ghosts
Earth Station Boo 2 – Electric BOO-galoo
Earth Station One Episode 185 – The Films of John Carpenter
Earth Station One Episode 184 - ESO Delves into The X-Files

I also really enjoyed these topics:
Earth Station One Episode 182 – Our Number’s Up! ESO Reviews Person of Interest
Earth Station One Ep 171 – When Monsters Attack – The Pacific Rim Movie Review

I think the best thing to do is find one with a main topic you like and try that one.

You can find a full list of ESO episodes here.
Visit the ESO Network page here and Facebook group here.

Q: I've got a novel I'm working on now. I've always gone through publishers, but I think I'm ready to go indie. How would you recommend that I go about this? If I go through Amazon for e-book downloads and through Lulu for physical copies, is that a good plan?

That is a good option. Personally, I would use Amazon for both paperback and ebook for simplicity and price. Amazon owns

CreateSpace, which is a similar set up to Lulu, but the base price for the books are so much cheaper that you can sell them at prices that are competitive. Once you upload the print version, it will ask if you want to make a Kindle version. Click yes and you're off. Createspace has a step by step process you can follow.

Amazon has the KDP plan if you want your books only sold through them. If you want other places, you can upload ebook versions to Nook and/or Smashwords. Smashwords offers a free ebook download of a book on formatting your ebooks, which I highly recommend. It will help you out a lot.

Createspace doesn't do hardcovers. Lulu does. If you want a hardcover option, Lulu is a good option.

Q: Do you manage to write (even on days when you feel that you don't want to)? Share your tips for perseverance.

Yes. It’s harder on those days when you don’t feel like writing, but you have to do it, especially when you have deadlines. Deadlines are great motivators, especially when they’re close. Part of being a professional

writer means that I have to just suck it up and do the work.

Q: Are you participating in NaNo and what are you planning on writing?

No. Nothing against NaNoWriMo. It is just not something I participate in, mainly because I write all year long. Setting aside one month to write doesn't make sense from that perspective.

Q: As a writer, do you love or hate NaNoWriMo?

I don't really love it or hate it. As I mentioned above, I don't participate in NaNoWriMo because I write all year so setting aside a single month to write isn't really much of a difference for me. If NaNoWriMo works for some writers, then that's great. I don’t have anything against the idea. It's just not something that works for me.

Q: What was the biggest unplanned plot twist a work in progress ever presented to you?

Nightbeat audio CD cover

In my story for the Nightbeat: Night Stories collection for Radio Archives, reporter Randy Stone reconnects with an old flame who is trying to leave her mobster husband. When I started writing the story, I knew exactly who the villain was and wrote with that in mind. As I near the climax of the story, one character’s dialogue made me realize that the villain was not who I had originally planned it to be. I re-read the story so I could plant clues and set up this reveal and was surprised to find they were already there. I guess I was subconsciously planting these seeds. The twist made the story so much better than it would have been before. I love it when stuff like that happens and the characters determine the story.

Nightbeat ebook cover

Shameless self promotion time. Nightbeat: Night Stories is still available as an audio CD, audio download, and ebook. Also for Kindle and Nook.

Q: What was the inspiration for your current work in progress? What turned your head and made you want to build an entire book around it?

My current project was an assignment from a publisher so agreeing to work within the parameters of the series bible, I came up with a story hook that I liked and went from there. Once I had the hook and the character in place, I started moving the story forward from there.

Q: What was the last mean thing you did to your protagonist?

I let my protagonist get shot. Not going to say which one because I don’t want to spoil it.

And I think that is a good place to finish this round of Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff… Do you have any questions you’d like me to answer? Post them here as a comment or send them along to bobby@bobbynash.com and I’ll answer them in a future installment of Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff...

Also, please sign up for my mailing list. Drop me an email at bobby@bobbynash.com and I'll happily add you to the list.

Thanks.

Bobby

WALKING THE NIGHTBEAT…

Audio Cover. Art: Douglas Klauba

The One That Got Away - Bobby Nash

I received news of a cool new Amazon review of Nightbeat: Night Stories from Radio Archives. I wrote one of the stories included in this collection. It’s called “The One That Got Away” and I really like the way actor Michael C. Gwynne performed it on the audio.

Nightbeat: Night Stories is still available as an audio book and an ebook. Get yours today.

NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES
An Old Time Radio Anthology

Radio Archives’ Nightbeat: Night Stories is available in TWO formats! Already known for producing quality Ebooks and Audiobooks of classic Pulp tales, Radio Archives has just released its first collection of new tales based on an Old Time Radio Program!

In 1950, NBC began broadcasting Nightbeat, considered one of the finest shows of its time. The show featured Randy Stone, a reporter who covered the night beat for the Chicago Star with a unique blend of wit, compassion and toughness.

Radio Archives invites you to return to the streets of Randy Stone's Chicago in Nightbeat: Night Stories. Six brand new Nightbeat stories are now available in both Ebook and Audiobook format. Authors Howard Hopkins, William Patrick Murray, Paul Bishop, Bobby Nash, Tommy Hancock, and Mark Squirek breathe new life into Randy Stone, bringing the nostalgic noir feel of the radio series fans have enjoyed for over sixty years to newly written tales that capture the true essence of Nightbeat.

A mystery involving a puzzle. A mad killer strangling women. A young boy on the wrong road. An old flame threatening to burn again. Blood and Conspiracy in the boxing ring. The murder of a reporter. And at the center of every tale, Randy Stone. This nostalgic newly written collection issued for your reading pleasure in electronic format also features a cover by Douglas Klauba.

Ebook Cover: Doug Klauba

This Collection includes:
Introduction by Tommy Hancock
Strangler by Howard Hopkins
The Chicago Punch by Paul Bishop
Puzzle in Purple by Will Murray
Down Addison Road by Mark Squirek
Lucky by Tommy Hancock
The One That Got Away by Bobby Nash

Step into the world that comes alive when the sun sets with Nightbeat: Night Stories. eBook only $4.99. And the Audiobook also available voiced by veteran Actor Michael C. Gwynne, $23.98 for CDS, $11.99 as a digital download! Six Hours of New Stories based on a Classic Concept!

Audio CD Cover. Art: Douglas Klauba

NIGHTBEAT: NIGHT STORIES can be purchased as an audio book and ebook at the following:
Radio Archives (Audio CD)
Radio Archives (Audio Digital Download)
iTunes (Audio Download)
Amazon (Audible Audio Download)
Audible (Audio Download)
Audio Book Store (Audio Book)
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes and Noble (Nook)
Radio Archives (ebook)

You can also purchase the original Nightbeat radio show on CD or digital download here.

ALABAMA PHOENIX FESTIVAL RISES AGAIN ON VIDEO!

Check out the cool new video for a fantastic convention that I love, the Alabama Phoenix Festival. I look forward to heading back there next year. You can also catch a few glimpses of me and my books in this video. You can watch the video above or on YouTube.

SOMETIMES I GET ASKED STUFF… PART 8

"I'm the Ghost with the Most, Babe."

Part 8? WOW. I am stunned and humbled. Thanks so much for all of the great questions and for stopping by to read the answers. I hope they've been helpful. Please, keep sending those questions along. I love 'em. If this keeps up, I might have to give this feature its own tab in the header above.

One of the perks of being a writer is getting to meet some of the most interesting people. Whether it is at conventions, store signings, through the Earth Station One podcast, writer’s groups, on social media, and sometimes just from people I run into on when I venture out of the cave I call my office, I get asked questions. Sometimes they are about writing or what I’m working on. Other times they’re out of left field. I thought it would be interesting to share some of them along with a few answers. Regardless of where they come from, here’s a few of the latest.

Don't worry. I got this one, Superman.

Check out Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here, Part 5 here, Part 6 here, and Part 7 here.

Let's get started, shall we?

Q: What's your Favorite Michael Keaton Movie?

Beetlejuice. Followed closely by Batman, I think.

Q: Are you on Pinterest?

A fun con panel. Talkin' comic books.

I am. I don't post as often as I should, but my Pinterest page can be found at http://pinterest.com/bobbynash/

Q: Who is your favorite Superman bad guy?

That’s a tough one. It’s probably either Brainiac or Darkseid.

Q: What methods do you use to promote your books?

I post wherever I can. Social media, podcasts, my website [www.bobbynash.com] along with forums, message boards, and wherever talking about books is allowed. I also do convention, visit stores, and have a mailing list. It’s a start. I’m open to suggestions. If you’ve got

A guilty pleasure movie.

good promotional ideas, send them along.

Q: How does one go about finding a good Beta reader?


Usually, my beta reader is someone I know that I know will be honest with his or her critique. I don't use a site or service though.

Q: Do you edit as you write? Or are you the kind of writer who needs to get the first draft down before doing any editing?

A little of both. At the beginning of each day, I’ll read over the previous chapter I wrote and may make an edit or two at that time. After I’m finished, I give the story another edit.

I love setting up at cons.

Q: Are Facebook Author pages worth it or not? I can't decide whether to create one or not.

I have one. You can find it here. I have people who follow it that aren't on my friend list on my personal page. Please stop by and give it a "Like!"

Q: You do conventions. Do you do a lot of business (sell books) at conventions?  How or where do you find conventions to attend?

Selling at cons is hit or miss. At some cons you sell well while at others, not so much. It's a real toss up, but overall I think attending conventions is worth it. I make sure I hand out postcards, business cards, etc. and usually see a sales spike the week after a con. For me, cons are part of my marketing and promotion plan. I love meeting fans, other creators, and vendors. I also love doing panels.

Hearing "Stuck in the middle with
you" still reminds me of this scene.

Do a search for conventions (plus your area) and see what's there. The bigger shows are a bit harder to get on as a guest. See what the requirements are and pick the ones that work best for you and try it out. You just have to make sure the travel, table (sometimes), and hotel expenses are worth it to you.

Q: Your Favorite Michael Madsen Movie?

Hard to beat Madsen’s turn in Reservoir Dogs.

My co-writer.

Q: Are you a "healthy" author? Go to the gym regularly or take daily walks? Eat healthy snacks while you write? Drink green tea and water all day? Take workshops and classes periodically to improve your craft?

Not nearly as much as I should. I take walks, but when I get busy working I keep pushing it off to do later, which never seems to get there. I need to improve my time management in this area. I also need to lose some weight.

Q: Your Favorite Elmore Leonard Novel?

I have to admit that I've not read nearly enough of them, which I'm slowly correcting. Raylan is next on my list as I love Justified. I have enjoyed Karen Sisko's story as well.

Q: Do you use bookmarks when you read? If so, what do you use--a traditional bookmark, Post-its, anything near by? If not, how do you note where you left off in a book?

I just grab whatever’s handy. Usually, it’s one of the leftover promotional postcards from one of my books. Those things are all over the place around here.

Great advice.

Q: Do you keep track of your word count each day? Just wondered what you average.

I generally average between 1,000 and 2,000 per day on fiction. That doesn't count things like press releases, emails, blog posts, updates to All Pulp, ESO, my various websites (here, here, here, here, and here), etc. which I also do on an almost daily basis. If I counted those, the number would no doubt double.

Q: Where do you go for relief? Writing can be stressful and terribly demanding. What is you favorite place to get a breath of fresh air? A movie? The Park? Under the bed? Into the refrigerator?

I am long overdue for a trip.

I sometimes just have to get out of the house. Even just going out for a walk or a drive helps. I love the beach, very relaxing, but I don’t live close to one so I don’t get there very often.

Q: Your Favorite Mickey Rourke Movie?

I really liked The Wrestler with Sin City a close second. Favorite guilty pleasure movie: Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man.

Q: Do you like variant covers?

Morgan Freeman

I don't generally buy variant covers on my comics. If there are variants, I pick the one I like best. I don’t buy every single variant. Some readers do and that’s okay. It’s their prerogative and their money. I think giving readers a choice between two covers is okay. Some publishers take it too far though with 10 or more variants per issue. They aren’t going away though. Bottom line: if you don’t like variant covers, you don’t have to buy them.

Variant covers is not just comic books. Novels and DVDs do it as well, although not to the degree of comics, but I have seen novels with multiple cover images depending on where they are released.

Q: If you were going to have an audio recording made of your work, who would you want to have do the voice-over?

Doesn't everything sound better when read by Morgan Freeman?

Q: What "go-to" phrases in scripted entertainment do you think have become so hackneyed that it's time to call for a moratorium?

“Let’s do this” and “That's what we do” are the first that come to mind. I admit, I am guilty of using one of them.

Q: At what point in you life did you realize that you wanted to be an author? Did it change your life direction?

I started out wanting to draw comic books and started writing stories so I would have something to draw. I then started writing more and drawing less as work started to open up for me. Then, one day I decided to write a novel and from there everything changed.

Q: While writing a story have you ever gotten a good ways in and figured out that it just wasn't working and had to start over? How do you look at a situation like that, disappointing or good lesson?

It happens. One of the worst feelings is to have to cut several thousand words from your manuscript. Every cut hurts, but I have to look at making the finished story the best it can be and if those words need to go then they need to go. Doesn’t stop me from crying over them though (HA! HA!). I cut quite a bit from Earthstrike Agenda, for example, that focused on how

Art: Douglas Klauba

they got to that point. It read more like a history lesson than a novel and it slowed down the narrative so it had to go. Evil Ways went the opposite route. I felt the opening wasn’t strong enough to hook readers so I wrote a new opening after I was finished. So, the first thing you read in Evil Ways was the last thing I wrote. The new opening starts out (literally) with a bang and gave me a way to plant seeds for Evil Intent, which I hope to have finished by the end of the year (crosses fingers).

Sometimes the characters will dictate changes as well. If I’ve done my job well, the characters will become real to me, taking on a life of their own. In that case, sometimes the characters will then inform me that I am not writing them correctly and I have to cut parts that don’t work. This happened to me in the story I wrote for Radio Archive’s Nightbeat: Night Stories. I was almost finished with the story when I realized that the villain of the story wasn’t who I thought it was so I had to go back to the beginning to make sure it still made

sense.

And sometimes you just get a really good idea for the story; perhaps some twist or plot point that makes the whole story better. Then you have to go back and do rewrites to accommodate that change. There is a point in Deadly Games! where one character says something that makes a small, almost throwaway piece of another character’s back story become so much more important than originally intended. It added depth to both characters and increased tension in the scene, but did not change the overall story.

Q: What is your favorite television series finale episode?

One of my all-time favorite shows.

Great question. It’s hard to nail down one favorite, but using the criteria of one I rewatch more than any other, I’ll go with M*A*S*H’s finale, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” which is one I can watch time and again. I admit, the last 30 minutes still chokes me up to this day.

Here are a few other series finales that really worked for me.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine-- It’s no secret that DS9 is my favorite of the Star Trek series as a whole. The finale had everything I wanted, but it’s not really a standalone episode you can just sit down and watch. You really have to have watched the previous 9 or 10

Cheers.

episodes, which are fantastic. We even get a happy ending… before we get the sad one.

Star Trek: The Next Generation-- TNG, on the other hand, offered up a nice little movie for their finale that can be watched on its own and features some of Trek’s finest tropes like time travel, alternate realities, and Picard and Q facing off against one another. This is a fun one. It also ends happily, sending the crew off to big screen adventures.

Babylon 5-- Another one that’s hard to watch solo because it requires so much knowledge of what has come before it, but it is a bittersweet and touching hour of television that lets us say goodbye to characters we’d grown to love over the previous 5 years.

ST:DS9-- my favorite Star Trek series.

Cheers-- This one was a big deal when it aired and I was a fan of the show. It ended on a rather low key scene that told us that come the next morning, Cheers would once again be open for business.

Stargate: Atlantis-- Like Cheers and TNG, Atlantis ended its run with the promise that tomorrow the characters would continue on to a new adventure. It was a fun, action-packed hour of TV. At the time, Atlantis was planning to go on to movies until MGM’s financial issues derailed that plan.

Stargate Atlantis

Newhart-- This one makes a lot of people’s list for the same reason it does mine. I didn’t see it coming. Sadly, I don’t remember much of the actual episode, but the final shot, that surprise ending that none of us saw coming, really stuck with me.

Magnum p.i.-- This show actually had two series finales. The first one saw the title character die and walk off into the afterlife before the network decided to bring the show back for one more shortened season. The finale there ended with the characters heading off in new directions and was a nice send off to these characters we loved.

The Leverage cast

More recently, I thought Leverage wrapped up their series quite nicely, even though I would have much rather had them go on for another season or two.

Geez, putting this list together made me realize that I watch a lot of TV.

ESO's Favorite Series Finales

The ESO podcast did an episode discussing our favorite series finales. If you’re interested, check out Earth Station One episode 106 (released way back on April 11, 2012 - might be time to revisit this topic) here.

And I think that is a good place to finish this round of Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff… Do you have any questions you’d like me to answer? Post them here as a comment or send them along to bobby@bobbynash.com and I’ll answer them in a future installment of Sometimes I Get Asked Stuff...

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Let's do this again real soon.

Bobby