So, shit just got real.
Yes indeed, after months and months (and months) of dragging my Size 8 feet I’ve finally taken the plunge and decided to publish my first official book independently, or feel ridiculous in the attempt. And in spite of the fact I’ve dumbed down the concept of pledge campaigns like Kickstarter and GoFundMe, etc. I’ve been forced to out myself as a hypocrite and take that route if I’m ever gonna get the damn thing out there.
Folks that know my name probably picked it up fom BraveWords.com, where I’ve worked as one of the the key writers as a so-called authority on heavy metal for the last 20 years (dating back to when we were the most awesome print magazine, BW&BK). Either that or they remember bullying me in high school. Some of the bodies that know of Grim – My Way To Hell’s existence have asked me why I’m releasing a work of fiction rather than doing something better suited to my music journalist roots, and the short answer is that’s been covered by my esteemed peers like Martin Popoff, Joel McIver, Joel Gausten and a host of other rivet-heads. Not that I have anything against doing up a band / artist biography, but until a direct request comes from a musician to do so I believe I’ll stay out of that end of the pool.
But, if there’s one thing the music industry has taught me is that projects live and die by promotion. Thus, with a March 15th, 2016 date set for the launch of my 30 day Kickstarter campaign it makes sense to start attracting attention now. Thanks to the assistance of some ridiculously awesome friends, pieces of this puzzle are being assembled and will be unleashed over the course of the next two months. In addition, I will be making updates to this page every couple days offering book related odds-and-bits.
Of course, there are two factors at play in launching a Kickstarter campaign:
1) Shit happens
2) Nothing ever goes as planned.
Failure is indeed possible, and if things should go that route I’ll probably sell at least one of my best friend’s internal organs to pay for publication. If things do go according to this so-called plan, Grim – My Way To Hell will (hopefully) be released in August / September 2016.
An official Grim – My Way To Hell website will be launched if this crazy little venture gets off the ground.
Oh yeah, the reward campaign for my Kickstarter effort is awesome, believe me. If you’ve ever wanted to see me make a bigger fool of myself than usual, stay tuned.
It’s suggested that before you set money aside to purchase a copy of Grim – My Way To Hell (or better yet, multiple copies) you check to make sure have a strong grasp of the English language. Not only will it make interpreting this morbid tale of good and evil easier to understand, you’ll be able to dissect and rip apart sentences or entire paragraphs where I’ve turned my mother tongue into a car crash of prose (send complaints to carl@carlbegai.com). You should also check to make sure your sense of humour is packed for the journey, as there are a few passages packed within the tome’s pages that are meant to make you guffaw, snort, or at least crack a smile. If you happen to laugh and fart at the same time my mission with regards to keeping things amusing (particularly for other people in the room with you) has been accomplished.
And finally, a big thank you to my long time friend Hugues Laflamme, who designed the cover art and has spent a great deal of time making me look sexy since the BW&BK days.
Go to the official Grim – My Way To Hell Facebook page here for updates. Check out some excerpts from the book here.
