Monthly Archives: May 2012

Bye Pop…I’ll See You in Heaven

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I just got a call a few minutes ago that my father lost his fight with Alzheimer’s and had passed away early this morning so I thought I’d write him a short letter.

Dear Dad,

I can still hear the excitement in your voice whenever I would call. Thank you for showing me so many things that at the time, were hard for me to hear. I absolutely hated it when you’d make me sweep the entire parking lot of the restaurant with a small broom but now I look back and know that all you were doing was instilling in me a good work ethic.

I will miss your hearty laughter that went from a belly laugh to high pitched ripples of joy. I will miss the times we got up at 4am to go buy warm bread from the bakery. One loaf always disappeared by the time we got to the restaurant.

As short as you were, I’ll never understand how you made those hook shots on the basketball court. I never saw those coming. I’ll try to practice mine.

You loved classical music and because you did, so do I. I’ll pass that on to Mackenzy after she grows out of the Disney phase.

I’ll try putting peaches on my cereal again like you used to do for me.

In keeping with the Ramirez tradition, I will always rattle my keys as I open the front door to let my brown-eyed girl know that I’m home.

Although we were apart for a while here and there, I wouldn’t have traded you for anything or anyone else in this world.

I will miss how we always ended our talks on the phone. I always wanted to be the last one to say bye so here it goes…

Bye Pop. I love you.

I’ll see you in heaven.

Your son.

How I Survived Writing Comics and Lived to Tell About It

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It’s been a roller coaster of a week, to say the least. While we were in the midst of the photo shoot for the cover of Jupiter Chronicles, I got a call from my brother saying that my dad was back in the hospital with pneumonia. That combined with his advanced Alzheimer’s is not a good thing so as of the writing of this post I sit, wait and pray that he either gets better or that his suffering not be prolonged. The photo shoot itself was a blast, until I got the call, of course. I brought out my newsboy hat and pipe prop and pretended to direct the shoot while Poochie did most of the work.

All of the shots turned out amazing.

We also received a new blurb for the book this week.

Check it out!

“Jupiter Chronicles is a fast-paced adventure that introduces kids to the Jovian world. Fantastic steam punk imagery, memorable characters, and intrigue will leave readers wanting more!” ~ Tammy Derr, Fairy Tales Booksore, Nashville, TN

You can check out Tammy’s website here.

Working on this project has been a blast especially being surrounded by fun people who work hard. That’s not always been the case though.

How I Survived the World of Comics and Lived to Tell About It

My first work published traditionally was a graphic novel called, Haven. If you’re reading this and you don’t know what a graphic novel is, no worries. Simply put, it’s a narrative told with sequential art and is much like a comic book on steroids. Anywho, it released in 2010 and did not have a single bad review when it released.

But what about before it released? Oh yeah. That’s not due to the editor we ended up with but the one that we had prior whose name I will not mention. The problem was that the editor was not focused on the project so he would work on it for a little bit, go on to something else and then come back to it and forget details. Communicating with him was also a nightmare. At the end of our run with him, I sent it out to a couple of reviewers who hated it. I, in turn, sent those reviews with my comments to our publisher and we switched editors. What added to the frustration was the time spent on all of that felt wasted.

Or was it?

After the release I sent it out to more reviews and we got some amazing feedback that even put it head-to-head with anything the big two (DC and Marvel) had to offer. I was stoked and proceeded to send it out to stores for review. No one told me that when you’re an independent comics writer you are totally on your own. There is no history of sales going back 40 years to back you up like DC. There are no household names that come to mind when folks think of your publisher like Spider-Man. There are no big marketing dollars behind you on behalf of a monster publisher. It’s all uphill and it’s only you pulling that pile of rocks up the steep canyon.

None of that bothered me until I caught up with the common customer who would only walk in to the store and pass me by only to make a dash for the aisle of the big two. That did bother me. The other stuff?

Nah. I like a good challenge.

Out of quite a number of stores I solicited, only two stores responded to my e-mails. One store treated me like I was some kind of communicable disease. If you live in the Nashville area you probably know which one I’m referring to.

Out of those one of them carried it, my hero, Outer Limits Comics in Franklin, TN.

After an event there and several appearances, talks, lectures, school visits and conventions I sold some but not many. At first I was devastated. But after a while there was one thing that I came to learn.

It’s not about selling books. It’s about making friends.

It’s also about quickly realizing that if I’m going to survive it’s going to be all up to me and not any one publishing house. Whether you’re self-published or traditionally published you are going to have to market yourself by yourself. Your future depends on you and not if your traditional publisher markets your work.

It’s also not about the medium. It’s about the characters. Haven will survive in the upcoming Haven of Dante as will all of the supporting characters and some not even in the graphic novel. This is why I have no regrets about all the hardship when it came to the graphic novel because had it not been for that I would not have written the prose.

Here’s to the future. Make it happen.

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Support the publishing of Haven of Dante by clicking here.

Four Steps to a Robust Book Launch

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Happy Friday!

This week has been crazy to say the least. Between family obligations and book stuff it’s been a roller coaster ride so I’m glad to have survived the week with my eyebrows intact. Because of our crazy schedule, I’ve decided to move my blog posts to Friday so that I can keep scribbling during the week. A friend who some in the comics world know has offered to help which I am extremely grateful for. We’ll “introduce” her when the time is right. Thanks for your patience with these minor adjustments. Blogging and staying afloat in a sea of chaos is quite the learning experience!

Tomorrow we’ll have our photo shoot of the main characters (Ian and Callie) for Jupiter Chronicles cover. I’ll post some pictures of that when we have them ready.

We’re also still trying to raise funds for editing and production of the prose novel, Haven of Dante. If you’d like more info on that, click here. We’re eternally grateful for every penny raised.

Now on to today’s post….

We all agree that planning ahead is a good thing. When it comes to getting your book out this is especially true and you’d be surprised as to how many authors think that once your done writing that the book will sell itself if you throw it up on Amazon or your website.

I’ve worked with music and publishing industry professionals in the past who think this way and have actually thought that if you simply throw a bunch of titles up on a wall one of them will have to stick. Not so, my little bambino. This is where the question of whether or not you really want to be an author is truly answered.  You have to work at it and work hard and not give up because eventually it will pay off and that’s where the real fun begins.

I understand that it’s not easy. I get it. It’s even more difficult when you have a family, a full-time job or other obligations that deserve your attention and should get it. That doesn’t change the fact that you still have to do what must be done so in light of that,  I wanted to share some of what I’ve learned in the process of launching my new Steampunk children’s series, The Jupiter Chronicles which takes flight in September.

Here are some things that I took into account when putting the plan together.

Market Research

A recent study shown here reflect women as the dominant decision maker in the home when it comes to purchases and as such I began my studies there. With over 35k Twitter followers and and 31k+ page views per month the logical choice for me was Family Focus Blog being that Jupiter Chronicles is a family-friendly book. Scarlett Paolicchi runs an amazing site full of great info and giveaways and she will be running a feature closer to its release in September. Scarlet will also feature a special JC giveaway at launch time. All that to say, study your audience. Care about them enough to find them where they are.

Subject Matter

The Jupiter Chronicles deals with the hardship of growing up in a single parent family. With that in mind, it only made sense that we share it with single parent families. This is why I reached out to the Post Divorce Chronicles who ran a post that I wrote for them called, “Seeing My Dad Through My Mother’s Eyes“.

Lee Block runs this incredible labor of love for those who have gone through the pains of divorce and although I have not myself, I know what it’s like to see it through the eyes of a child. My hope is that Jupiter Chronicles will steer kids into freeing themselves of any guilt they may be feeling over their parents’ divorce. All that to encourage you to look into sites that deal with a particular subject matter related to your book.

Genre Reviews

This one goes without explanation. After all, it’s Steampunk right? Steampunk is also a sub-genre of Science Fiction so with that in mind I reached out to some online magazines like Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys. Ann Wilkes has always been a huge support of my work as is Nicholas Yanes over at SciFi Pulse. You should also check out some great review work over at Xarrok by Catherine Taylor.

All of these kind folks will be supplying either a blurb, a review, or an interview. I’ll share those with you as they come available.

After the Big Launch….what next?

You can’t go wrong with book giveaways. This is one regret that I have about publishing traditionally with my first graphic novel Haven is that I didn’t have the power to give away the first chapter. There were simply too many hands in that pot and not everyone was on the same page. Here I can do that and give folks a chance to take a read when they might not have otherwise (especially in this economy). I plan on doing as much as I’m able with this and as time goes on and the work gains an audience I’d like to do more. For now, I’ll be posting giveaways at Family Focus Blog and Goodreads.

There are a myriad of other things that can be done as part of a book launch and these are but a few. The point is to be as diverse as possible!

So what’s worked for me on this release? I’ll be covering that after the release. In the meantime, stay tuned.

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Support the publishing of Haven of Dante by clicking here.

Reviews on Jupiter Chronicles

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Hi All,

Just wanted to share with you the first batch of reviews that I’ve received on  Jupiter Chronicles that have just started coming in.

Captivating story which keeps you going with intense action all the way throughout the book while lending itself to frank and open conversations about absent fathers.

~ Anne Rucker, Educator

I found myself wondering what was going to happen next. Kids will love reading the Steampunk adventures of Ian and Callie.

~ Richard Groves, Nolensville Public Library

I sat down with a copy of Jupiter Chronicles not sure what to expect. From the first page I was impressed by the writing style and realistic approach to setting and development. The creation of the characters was and is incredible. Each distinctly individual personality is a reflection of one identifiable in life. From the curious nature of children to the protective nature of a parent and all of the personalities around them, Mr. Ramirez demonstrates he has truly found his talent and voice with this incredibly well crafted book. This is the kind of book that gets the imagination moving at any age, making it perfect for children.

Young and old alike should take a moment to enjoy Jupiter Chronicles and dive into this steampunk science fiction world full of adventure and excitement. It would be an effort not to enjoy it.

~Catrina Taylor,  Author of “Xarrok” and “With Love”, a short story anthology. She is also the Publisher of Xarrok Recommends and Reader’s Retreat

You  can read more about Catrina Taylor by visiting her websites here and here.

There will be more to come and I’ll be sure to share them with you as I get them. I am extremely grateful to these folks for taking the time to review the book.

Thank you!!

Hope you have an awesome Thursday!

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Support the publishing of Haven of Dante by clicking here.

A Long Goodbye (Update on My Dad)

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I had another post scheduled for today but early this week I was thrown for a loop when my dad was rushed to the hospital for what was initially thought to be pneumonia. I spend the first part of the week hoping that my head wouldn’t explode and that my heart would not jump out of my chest. It turned out to be bronchitis so after he was given fluids and meds he was sent back to the home. I felt powerless not being able to get on a plane (he lives in Puerto Rico) and go see him but because of our finances we simply can’t. The good news is that he’s being moved to a better home than the negligent one that he’s in now. In thinking of all of this I was brought to the sadness that my sweet daughter is faced with because she doesn’t have any grandparents living nearby.

My wife’s step-dad died just before Mackenzy was born. He died of lung cancer from a lifetime of smoking. My mom (and Kristen’s) live far away and it’s been years since they’ve seen them. She’s never met my dad who now has Alzheimer’s. When I was young my parents divorced and as a natural consequence our family was greatly divided.

Now, when our daughter sees other grandparents in the neighborhood visiting theirs for their birthdays, etc. it really grieves her. There were times where she would break down in the living room and cry asking why can’t she have grandparents. My wife is stronger in this area than I am and like the wise person that she is she constantly encourages us to remember that we will be the grandparents that she always wanted. After I pitch my internal fit I come to admit that she’s right and that I have to look to that as comfort.

What I’m really trying to say is that there are times where we have to choose to be comforted and fight our way to that place. Otherwise, we miss enjoying today. I’m trying harder every day to remember what we mean to Mackenzy now and forever.

I fail miserably at times but that’s ok because I’m human but at least I know where I should be. I’ve always known I have to be strong for her.

This week I got some extra cuddles in.

Now go get yours.

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Support the publishing of Haven of Dante by clicking here.

Update on Jupiter Chronicles and Haven of Dante

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Hi All,

It’s been a few days since I’ve posted and I apologize for that but I’ve been super busy with setting up Jupiter Chronicles for a September release. What I’d like to do is schedule my blog posts for once on Wednesday and possibly one on Friday for the time being until things even out.

With all of that said, here’s what’s happening.

Jupiter Chronicles

Let’s face it, mom’s are the home purchasing power so with that in mind I’ve reached out to some blogs that are popular not just with moms but with related subject matter. Being a child of divorce has given me enough insight to write an article for The Post Divorce Chronicles from the point of view of a boy growing up fatherless. I will let you know when that post is live. Family Focus Feature will also be doing a feature story on the book and I’ll have that available to you as well. I’ve also garnered reviews from The Steampunk Chronicle, Science Fiction and Other ODDyseys, Xarrok Recommends, and Fairy Tales Bookstore as well as educators and librarians. I will post those upon receipt. SciFy Pulse will also run an interview.

Here’s what one educator had to say:

Captivating story which keeps you going with intense action all the way throughout the book while lending itself to frank and open conversations about absent fathers. 

~ Anne Rucker, Educator

Last night we received the shipment of the props that will be used for the book. (Thanks Ronan!) These will be displayed along with artwork locally. Kristen will post pictures of the exhibit once it’s set up. Also, we are currently working on having library bound books available. We’ll keep you posted.

Finally, last night I met with the distributor of the graphic novel Haven and he agreed to take Jupiter Chronicles with him to San Diego Comic Con this year so I’m excited to hear what kind of response we get from that.

Haven of Dante

The IndieGogo project to raise funds for publishing the full-length novel is still going on so if you or anyone you know would be interested in helping us get this book published we would be eternally grateful.

You can find that campaign here.

I’ve put together a monster of a book launch plan and after JC releases I’ll share with you what worked and what didn’t through an interview with Build Book Buzz.

As always, I am extremely grateful for you. If you’ve ever taken a moment to read any one of my posts, thank you. If you’ve taken the extra step of subscribing to my blog then a big whopping thank you! I’ll keep you updated and post new content here as well.

Chat soon,
Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy books for all ages. For more info, please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Facebook and Mao’s Last Dancer

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Mark Zuckerberg is showing himself to be more and more the zealous activist every day (and a bored one at that). In case you haven’t heard, his latest stint is to promote organ donations on Facebook. Check out the story here.

I’m not advocating leaving Facebook or boycotting it. I have one of my own with 3 fan pages that I manage. I’ve been able to get back in touch with family members that I’ve not heard from in years and for that alone I’m grateful. I am, however, conservative about what I put on there. But with every news story and every modification that FB pushes on us I’m becoming less and less apt to use it.

And yes I know that the FB rant has been shared a hundred times. I don’t care. I need to vent and that’s half of what blogging is for.

Changing the Look Again….and again…and again…

Twitter is not complicated so I’m not clear on why FB needs to be. No timelines, no fear of having to rearrange your page because of whatever new look they’ve just incorporated, and certainly nothing telling you that that so-and-so rejected your event invite. In that case, ignorance is bliss. I don’t want to know why someone is turned down an invite. As far as the new timeline setting goes, the look is too convoluted and just plain stupid. Enough already.

Organ Donation…where does it end?

Oh come on! Really? Do we have to resort to peer pressure to donate body parts? This is what appeals to me most about Twitter is that it doesn’t get that personal. I can chat with whoever I want to and likewise my friends are able to reach out quickly without having to endure a proverbial condescending slap from FB because because they’re not into the cool new hip trend of organ donation. Where’s the ACLU when you need them? What’s next?

Privacy Issues

Start typing in the word “privacy” into the Google search engine. Now this has been covered to death so I don’t want to cover it again but to say that if you’re unaware of the privacy issues concerning Facebook then you should do your own research on that because obviously there’s plenty of it. Here’s a good article on tagging that should get you riled up.

I was watching a foreign film the other day called, “Mao’s Last Dancer”. I was more interested in how life in communist China was depicted more than the movie itself. The interesting thing that I noticed is that even after decades of communist reign, students in school were taught that they had not reached “true communism” no matter how terrible their living conditions were and how badly women were treated. (Talk about a a real war on women.)

Now, I’m not saying that I think that the folks behind Facebook are communist. Some might be but I’m not saying that. That’s not what I’m talking about. All I’m saying is that the scene mentioned reminded me of what’s going on with FB in the sense that no matter how bad things get we’re “nudged” a little at a time into a place we’d rather not be (less privacy ) and fooled into thinking that there is nothing wrong with where we are and how we’re getting to a wherever it is we’re going as far as social media is concerned. How we achieve something and the freedoms (privacy) we lose along the way is just as important. We’re being conditioned to be OK with the small changes taking place right in front of us because they’re happening an inch at a time.

Now I don’t know what the end game here is with Facebook but I don’t have to.

I don’t like how they’re proceeding.

And who knows, I may be saying the same thing about Twitter before too long. PC World has a great article on ways you can protect your privacy (as best you can) with all of the social networks including Twitter. You can read that article here.

Have I mentioned how much I love blogging?

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Support the publishing of Haven of Dante by clicking here.

The Strength I Get from My Wife

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I remember when the idea for Haven hit me for the first time. I was finishing up in the kitchen when I was on my way to the restroom in the back of our one-bedroom apartment at the time. My wife was sitting on the couch going through some coupons. I stopped on the way and asked her, “What do you think about a girl who, at the point of death,  is given the choice to stay in paradise or come back to Earth and comes back different?”

“Meh,” she responded.  I didn’t like that answer. I wasn’t angry but I will say that my pride was knocked off its stool.  That’s OK. I needed that extra push. I was determined to impress my bride with a knockout story so her response drove me to do better. Don’t get me wrong, she is very supportive of my work but she is also honest which I appreciate. So after some mulling, (and much discussion with her) Haven was born. The idea to infuse Dante’s Inferno into the mix actually came from her. As I wrote the outline it spiraled into creating characters out of each of the heads of the nine circles of hell and using the main character as a source of identification with anyone who has been through the horrors of an assault much like my wife did. This is also the theme behind the upcoming Haven of Dante prose novel.

All that to say that I honestly don’t know that wives realize how much their encouragement and support means to us. Husbands are too proud to admit it.

I’ve never been able to pinpoint exactly what it is but there is something that drives us guys to want to do better for the gals we love and whether we admit it or not their opinion (and their agreement) means a boatload to us. I want my wife to be proud of me (and she is) and I want my wife to think of me as major hotness no matter how old I get. To want that is not a bad thing. It’s when we get into the notion that we have to pretend to be something that we’re not that problems begin to arise and we hurt the ones we care about.

Ditch the pride guys. It doesn’t do anybody any good.

This week my wife and daughter are babysitting for a friend. Because it’s closer to school (we live about 45 minutes from school) they are staying with the kids there.

I couldn’t sleep last night. And no, having a dog is no help. It’s going to be a long couple of days.

I better get some chocolate cake out of this.

Chat soon,

Leonardo Ramirez is an author of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Please visit http://leonardoverse.com and sign up for the blog.

Support the publishing of Haven of Dante by clicking here.