fiction

So yeah, I’ve been all about trying to publish this book independently for the last few years and it has been a very slow process. The writing itself wasn’t an issue, although I discovered some fantastically awful grammatical errors when I went back to look at the manuscript some six months after the fact. I dragged my feet putting together a Kickstarter campaign to finance the book, as I have publicly denounced crowdfunding in the past, but realized that it’s the only way I’m ever going to (hopefully) secure the funds to publish. Back in January I foolishly announced March 15th as the Kickstarter launch even though I didn’t have all the pieces to the puzzle assembled. My pride took a beating when those plans fell through and I’m still eating my words.

It was plan from the very beginning to have a video trailer to advertise the Kickstarter campaign. One thing the music biz has taught me is Promote Or Die, and video is seemingly the best way to go in this day and age. Finding someone to do the work proved to be a problem, however, as the one soul who promised big and brash and bold things took a powder when he realized I wasn’t kidding about going through with it. Either that or the music composed by Sander Gommans (After Forever, HDK) scared the bejeezus out of him and sent him running with his award-winning tail between his legs. Trying to find someone else to do the job took a few months of hair pulling, one profanity-laced rant on Facebook, and a phone call from Rock & Royalty photo god Heiko Roith who introduced me to a colleague we’ll call Spitz for the time being. Continue reading GRIM – Screenshots For One Hell Of A Video Trailer

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. Continue reading GRIM – My Way To Hell: Kickstarter Campaign Launches March 15th, 2016