You're more powerful than you think.
Plus we're revisiting Charlie's Spot!
Hello!
Lots of movement on projects and a ton of gratitude to send out today, so let’s dive in!
We’re going back to Charlie’s Spot!
Long story short: We’re bringing Charlie’s Spot issues 1-4—including a new variant for issue #1—to Kickstarter next month.
I’d love it if you clicked the link and signed up to be notified as soon as we go live.
Long story longer: A while back, I got all the printed issues of Charlie’s Spot from our publisher.
This was and is a good thing!
Charlie does VERY well at conventions. Some combination of my passion for the book, the comedy and heart of the story, and the amazing work of Meredith Laxton (art/co-creator), Allie Pepitone (colors), and Taylor Esposito (letters) draws people in and grabs them.
Having direct access to the issues works great for bringing them to conventions and hand selling.
BUT!
The good thing: We sold out of the first issue.
The bad thing: I still have copies of 2-4.
I must reprint the first issue to keep Charlie’s Spot alive.
So next month, I’ll launch a Kickstarter where you can grab the entire series and a brand new #1 variant by the Vampires on Mars creative team of Fernando Pinto (art) and Ellie Wright (colors).
I take the financial responsibility of being a creator—while ensuring the family has everything we need to thrive—very seriously. This Kickstarter is the best, financially sane way I can keep the book available for people to discover.
I’m also hoping it’s a convenient way for you to get the series directly from me (autographed, of course) and get something limited and unique with the new #1 variant.
There will be more details as we get closer to launch—and if you have any questions, please let me know—but for now, clicking the notification button and sharing the campaign with people you think would dig it would be huge.
SPEAKING OF SHARING
Here’s where the subject line comes into play…
You have tremendous power to elevate the people and creatives around you. If you dig something, shout it from the rooftops!
This past weekend was Wicked Comic Con in Boston. It’s the second year for this comics- and artist-focused show. Last year was fantastic, and I was really looking forward to this one.
What I'll remember from the show are two conversations I had with people who discovered me and then sought me out because their local comic book shop owners told them about me.
These owners—Eric from Counterplay Comics and Glenn from The Magic Dragon—have been friends for decades. They both took the opportunity to introduce their customers to my work, and it connected.
I’m a small, pro-am creator, so getting a trusted recommendation like that is enormous.
Every sale matters. Every name on this mailing list matters. Every new face seeking me out at a convention matters!
So when Eric and Glenn take the time to recommend me, it’s huge. I feel it.
Related #1—Since I’ve moved this list to Substack, it’s grown at a rate that I’ve never experienced. And I KNOW a lot of that has to do with people recommending the newsletter through the Substack system.
If you’ve been recommending it, thank you!
If you were curious enough to join, thank you! I see you all and appreciate you coming along for the ride.
Related #2—In case you don’t live online, the algorithm on almost every social media platform has made it harder for creators to be seen and discovered.
In response, creators have been doing their best to rally the troops and make sharing other people’s work a bigger part of our online existence.
A few years ago, I worked to create a better Twitter timeline for myself, adding artists and creators who are both talented and positive, and it’s been great!
I wanted to pass that feeling along, I got much quicker on my retweet trigger.
I felt I was pretty good at retweeting, but now it’s a mission.
I WANT the people that I follow to succeed. I want them to be discovered. I want them to become someone else’s new favorite thing.
All three things—my store owner friends, y’all sharing the newsletter, and the call-to-share on Twitter—have reinforced how important we all are in other people’s success.
I’ve gone on (and on and on) about my own imposter syndrome and the “no one cares” chorus my head enjoys singing.
Welp, it’s really hard to believe that when I have people standing in front of me saying, “So-and-so recommended you, and I’m so glad I get to meet you.”
It's really hard to believe when the subscribers keep going up.
It's really hard to believe when I see people sharing my work, not because I asked but because they want to.
We all have the power to help lift up the creators and people we enjoy. And I’m telling you from firsthand experience it makes a HUGE impact.
Comedian Ron Funches coined the phrase “Joy Warrior.” He was going to fight hard to spread positivity, and that speaks to me.
That’s why I say: Love big! Love loud!
MUSIC UPDATE
After seven years, the acoustic project is off my computer!
I sent all the files to the mixer last week. It’s an INCREDIBLE feeling.
This idea was born by accident in 2016 when I was just mindlessly noodling on my acoustic guitar, waiting for my computer to boot up.
I’m incredibly proud of it. It was a fantastic learning experience, and hearing how Nino grew as a vocalist through it was truly inspirational.
I’ll share tracks as I get mixes back. I hope you dig em, but this has been one of those projects that I’ll be thrilled with, even if no one else digs it.
WHO WANT’S A PUPPY PHOTO? (I do! I do!)
Shhh…nap time couch time.
AWESOME THINGS TO SUPPORT
Okay, we need to rally the troops for this first one!
Cristabel Vol. 1 - ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT
Princess Cristabel is a formidable young warrior, but a chance encounter with a sorceress changes everything.
I mentioned this campaign last time, but with two days left, they’re still about $1,000 short. I've read an advanced copy of this book, and it’s GOOD!
Erica doesn’t mess around and runs tight, professional Kickstarter, and collaborates with fantastic creators. I believe in her and this book.
Please check it out. If it connects with you and you can help put them over the top, I hope you’ll join me in supporting this book!
Legends of the Realm 1-3: The Drowned Promise
Step into a tale of villains and heroes. Where monsters are met by magic's might, and kings are laid low by foul plots.
Writer Jack Holder is back with the next book in the Legends of the Realm series. I’ve enjoyed the first two issues and very much looking forward to issue three!
Night Wolf #1-7: Urban Fantasy Werewolf Coming-of-Age Drama
After discovering his werewolf lineage, a young man is reluctantly thrown into a supernatural war.
Writer Rob Multari is someone I absolutely admire and respect. I’ve learned a ton from him just by watching how he conducts his Kickstarters. He’s a constant, positive presence in the space, willing to help at any moment, and shares his knowledge freely.
I’ve already joined Rob’s Wolfpack, and so should you!
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Whether this is your first FIGURING IT OUT ON THE FLY or you're a veteran, thank you for reading and checking in on what I have going on.
Next week, I’ll have a very cool update on Vampires on Mars, and I’ll have something behind-the-scenes to show you.
Have a fantastic week, and we’ll talk soon.
All the best!