A Step Too Far: Why I Stopped Watching Supernatural

Greetings all,

I’m moving in a different direction this week. This may be seen as a rant. In a way I suppose everything is a rant. But I hope that rather than see it that way, we can look at how life, art, and entertainment mix and how sometimes they don’t mix.

It’s common knowledge that I am Christian. In fact, if I’m known for anything, I’d hope to be know in that light first.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this in this blog before or not, but I do indeed love Supernatural. But there were some caveats to that. Years back, I finished Season 5 of that show and thought it was a fantastic ending to a beautifully done plot line that has many themes.

So let’s start there. I’m not sure what year it was for me. It may have been when the episode aired. The point is, I watched it and loved it. I thought the series was among the better shows I’ve seen. But something strange happened. It didn’t end.

Far be it from me to deny actors and producers and others affiliated with a show to stop earning a living, but I had known that the original creators had walked away saying the story they intended to tell was over.

Being a fan of the show, I watched.

Season 6 was a big bomb for me. It felt lost. It seemed random. I didn’t like the direction they took the characters. So I stepped away.

The thing with me though is I’m stubborn. Even if I’m reading a terrible book (I’ve read many), I feel compelled to finish it. It’s a failure of mine. So some time a few years back (though less than when I’d turned away from the show), I sat down determined to see what happened.

Honestly, I wasn’t impressed. First off, when the villain you face is literally the devil, where do you go from there? Some of the later seasons weren’t that bad. In fact, the ark with The Darkness at least felt like it was moving in a direction that reminded me of the first five seasons.

So I sort of plodded along just seeing where the story would go, and indeed I saw a few things that I like. I was actually interested in Jack as a character. I like redemption stories. I like stories where the one who is supposed to be the bad guy genuinely wants to be good.

So here’s where my faith comes in. It’s my personal opinion (and you’re welcome to disagree; this just happens to be my blog) that any Christian should at least be very discerning and careful when they choose where to go for entertainment.

Does this mean Christians shouldn’t be watching science fiction, paranormal, supernatural or even horror shows? I hope not; I write that stuff.

I have precedent. C.S. Lewis is a renown Christian who wrote fantasy. Who was it who shared the gospel with him that ultimately turned him to Christianity? None other than J.R.R. Tolkien. Both write with either allegorical or at least relatable material, but I don’t feel it’s inherently sinful to enjoy these genres. Again, I understand if some disagree.

The point I’m coming to though is that every person should have a line they do not cross. I experienced something similar with Walking Dead. They just went one step too far, so I stopped watching, but that’s a tangent.

While a few episode or story arcs in later seasons of Supernatural pricked my conscience (and I’ll confess I probably should have listened), I kept going. It was sort of like being in a relationship (not a marriage) after the magic had gone, but you didn’t want to end it.

Then I saw the final episode of the penultimate season (or so I think).

For me, the line too far was an episode that showed they were actually going to make their character of god (and that does create several potential areas of discussion in itself) the villain.

Here we go back to the first five seasons. Indeed everyone thought god (the character) was “gone.” But, as shown, he hadn’t gone. Sure, there were several things that one might debate about that aspect alone, but I had some sort of leg to stand on (even IF I wasn’t supposed to).

But I saw those final minutes and honestly felt my heart break. Here’s a show I once loved with characters I didn’t want to let go of even if I hadn’t honestly enjoyed a season in forever. Then the show takes this sort of direction?

I couldn’t do it.

I can’t help but feel if I try to explain this more, I’ll only fire up those who still love the show and were perfectly happy with that arc and many others. I have no intention of starting a huge argument.

I say again; you have a right to your own opinion.

While I am indeed pointing to this one moment in this one show, my ultimate point (again) is that everyone needs to decide where they draw their line. For some it’s nudity. For others it’s blood. Some people don’t watch anything rated higher than PG. Heck, I’ve seen some who even lose their cool over PG.

If I’m going to ask people to respect my right to my opinion, I must, therefore, respect their right to theirs.

But each of us as viewers has to decide, “Hey, that’s just too far.”

Well, I supposed there are those who have no line whatsoever, but even that is a choice about where their line is.

Maybe the story goes in a different direction. Perhaps there was more to it. Again, that episode really rubbed me the wrong way.

This isn’t me telling YOU not to watch it. I have absolutely no authority over you, nor do I have any right to tell you what to do.

I still love those first five seasons. I think it’s beautiful storytelling and a fantastic arc. I still market Bob Drifter as “Dead Like Me Meets Supernatural.” That’s the regard I have for that story. I’m also not going to pretend I don’t like it. Maybe as I grow and change, my opinion will change, but this is where I am today.

I referenced Walking Dead. That show and one other, Family Guy, all went a step too far for me for different reasons, and I found myself conflicted until I realized something that led to this blog.

It’s ok to have enough. You don’t have to push through that book you bought just because you bought it. You don’t have to stay in that movie you’re not enjoying.

I’m still pretty stubborn. I don’t see myself stopping just because I’m not enjoying something. I’ll probably write a blog about that later on. However, the actual message this is leading to is actually, “If you stop liking something, it’s ok to stop watching, reading, or listening to it.” Sure, others may disagree, but that’s ok, too.

People can discuss what they think without anger or malice. They can find common ground and agree to disagree. That’s actually a big learning moment for me. I’ve often felt like I have to justify when I stop watching something (or whatever). That’s just not the case.

Oddly, here I am explaining why I stopped watching something, but not to defend the stopping. Instead, I hope this encourages you.

Even if it’s this blog, you don’t have to read it.

I hope this doesn’t end up in thousands of super fans seeking my head on a platter. It could happen. People are passionate. Instead I hope this is like a group of friends at a restaurant, and one guy goes, “Wow, this meal’s turned out to be too spicy for me to handle.” That was the intent.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Happy Birthday Bob! Free Stuff!

Greetings all,

Just as I did with Caught and it’s birthday giveaway, I’m celebrating Bob’s fourth birthday! (WOW! I’ve been a published author for four years!?)

So, The Journals of Bob Drifter will is free March 1-4 (11:59 p.m. PST).

I’d be thrilled if any of you give the book a try and perhaps recommend it to the readers you know. I think fans of Dean Koontz (especially Odd Thomas) would appreciate this book.  When I pitch this book at conventions, I call it Dead Like Me meets Supernatural.  I still think it has some of the best characters I’ve created in it. It has great depth, but those are all my opinions. Still, no one has ever called me out on them.

Again, what I’m attempting to do is generate reviews. If you’ve already read it, I’d be ever so grateful if you consider giving it a rating and review on Amazon, Goodreads or both.

You can grab your free Kindle version of the book here or the link above where I first give the title.

Now, as if that’s not enough, I have more good news. The Audible version of Repressed is officially live. Like with my other titles, I have 25 free versions of that title ready for any who are interested. So if you like YA stories, this might be for you. It is indeed a part of the Oneiros Log cannon, but it’s not nearly as dark as Caught was. If you’d like a copy, please email me.

It seems more and more hard to believe how far I’ve come in the last four years. I’m about to release yet another title (more on that next week), and I’m working hard on Hazel and Betrayed. I thank God for this gift he’s given. I love this craft so much, and I can’t wait to see where the dream takes me through the next four years.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

A Pretty Successful Debut! Repressed Is Off To A Good Start!

Greetings all,

In my last post I mentioned a bit about how Repressed had a solid start.  So I thought I’d try to keep the momentum going while sharing some insight for those trying to get their journey as authors started.

Social media posts and word of mouth helped me get my third-most pre-sales ever. Before anyone start to think I’m quitting my day job, I had eight pre-sales.  The Power of Words had the most ever (17). Caught came in second (13).  This might seem terrible to some. It sure didn’t feel like much to me, but those numbers compare pretty favorable to a number of the authors I speak to on a regular basis. Some of them are stable, full-time authors.  It’s certainly not a ton compared to those best sellers, but at the level I’m currently climbing toward, it’s a good place. People, especially new authors, should focus on goals and those goals should be based on data and expectations established by people in a similar situation. If I compare myself to Brandon Sanderson, I’m going to cry and never write again. However, if I keep my eyes on people with a similar number of titles released, in a similar genre, and with a similar marketing budget, I notice that I’m doing well, and that’s my point here.

The other thing I’m happy to say is that Repressed’s ranking in it’s category,  Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Teen & Young Adult > Literature & Fiction > Social & Family Issues > Bullying.  I don’t exactly remember how high Caught got, but Repressed was pretty great.  This title made it as high as #38 on the best-seller list and is still in the top 300.  I’m particularly happy that I stayed in the top 100 for its entire first week.

How’d I do it? Well, married life is still something I’m adjusting too. I only had time for social media efforts. I posted probably once every other day. I used hashtags to draw interest and little tag lines. I made sure the cover was everywhere too.

For my next title (Sojurn in Captivity is coming in April!), I expect to have my newsletter back up and running. I intend to run a FB cover reveal as well as a release party. I’ll run a few more newsletter campaigns, and we’ll see if I can’t set up a blog tour.  I’ll be interested to see how those things affect my next release, but I’m happy with what I think are great results when accounting for a minimal marketing campaign.

What I’m hoping for now is to start seeing reviews pop up. I’m honestly excited to see what readers thought of Kaitlyn’s story. If you were one of the people who picked it up, please consider a rating and review on Amazon and or Goodreads.  Even if you hated it, I truly want to know. Like with every project, I try to stretch and do something new. I hope you were as charmed as I was with Kaitlyn, but even if you weren’t the feedback will still be invaluable.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

 

Bob Gets Another 5-Star Review! Sale! Animorecon begins!

Greetings all,

I had a great day today. A class of my BMCSC students graduated (that’s always fun to see)! Then I came home to get ready for Animorecon, and while I’m setting up, I see The Journals of Bob Drifter got a 5-star review on Goodreads!  Now that’s just about an amazing day! You can read that very kind review here.

That review comes with great timing since both e-versions of Bob and Caught are only 99 cents during the convention. So if you haven’t had a chance to pick up either of my books, this is a great opportunity!

I’ll be at the convention pretty much all weekend, so I might be a bit it or miss with the blog and social media. I’ll try to post pics of what I’m up to and all the great cosplay I see. I’m excited to start my tour, and I hope it goes well for me.  I’d be very happy to see any of you there.  If you can’t make it, this sale I’m having is just my way to try and make sure everyone can save on my work.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Conventions from a Different Perspective: Shore Leave

Shore Leave was a few weekends ago, but I was a big backed up, and I wanted to do more than just update you on how it went (spoiler alert, it went well).

I met some great new readers.  Here’s a picture I took with a few. One was so kind, she continued to update me on where she was in the book each time I saw her. (She’d made it to Chapter 10 of Caught when I last saw her.) I’m happy to say I usually expect to sell enough books to make back what I paid for the table. This was true for Shore Leave as well. I even managed to get some autographs for my mom (she was a big Star Trek: The Next Generation fan).

I met several wonderful people at the panels I was on, two of whom (I happen to have their cards on my rat’s nest of a desk) were Kelli Fitzpatrick and Derek Tyler Attico. They weren’t the only people kind enough to let me hang with them during the panels, but I have their names handy, and I wanted to give them a shout out. Andrew Hiller was also just a few tables down from mine, and having him to chat with on occasion is always a good time. He was the one who gave me the opportunity to sit on panels he was unable to attend.

All stock imagery from Pixabay.

I’m still working and learning when it comes to actually selling my books, but one of the things I like to do is peel back the curtain sometimes. You have to have a lot of conviction to just be a writer. Creating a book and revising it until it’s ready to publish is a mission of faith all by itself, but then putting yourself out there can be daunting. Remember, I’ve said conventions are my number one way to generate sales.

True though it may be, one still has to be willing to put himself out there again and again.  To help put it into perspective, I had a thought and acted on it (a bad habit of mine).

I decided to start tracking statistics.

I did that so people planning to do conventions knew that getting a table can work and be fun, but you have to be willing to work at it.

How I work. People are wonderful, and I think of them as compassionate people that are, at the very least, interested in the same things I’m interested in. Marketers (Steve, help me out here if I’m off) call this the funnel process, but I think of my process more like a series of doors.

Every person who walks by receives a little handout from me. People like cool, free things. I have cool chapter icons and covers, so I hand them out. When I do so, I simply say, “If you have a moment, I’d love to talk to you about my work.” That’s door number one.

When a person tells me they’re interested, I give them the pitch to each book. Then I tell them the sale I’m having (I always have a sale of some sort during a convention). That’s door number two.

If people like the pitch, I put whichever book in which they’re interested in their hand. That’s door number three.  If reading the first few pages doesn’t grab them, they probably say thanks but no thanks.

Every now and again, they show some level of interest. That’s usually when I direct them to door number four. I tell them about the electronic versions of my books and tell them about whatever e-sales I’m running. A great number of my online sales come from this.  I can’t get the numbers for The Journals of Bob Drifter yet, but I sold eight more copies of Caught in this manner.)  Yes, I want to make money, but what I want more is for people to like and enjoy my work. I don’t care if they buy the 99-cent (when it’s on sale) version of Caught, the free (with an credit) Audible version of Bob , or whatever. I write stories for people to enjoy, and I consider it my job to give them every option to choose from.

The thing is, it’s pretty daunting to hand out that many cards or book covers just hoping someone’s willing to give you a bit more time.

That’s when I decided to just keep count:

The first time I tracked it, I handed out seven book covers before someone listened to my pitch. The good news is, that person bought my book.

The next time, I handed out 12 bookmarks and gave five pitches before someone bought a book.  Sound pretty rough? Well, I don’t think 1-out-of-12 is all that bad myself. I’d actually be thrilled if that were the case.

I had to hand out 74 book covers and give 15 more pitches before I sold my next book. I won’t like folks, that was a pretty epic sledgehammer to my confidence.  I had that “I’m the nerdy kid at a junior high dance” feeling. I kept at it. Why? Well, for  one, what else was I going to do? Also, you’re going to get a lot of rejection and doubt in this field. You, frankly, need to be willing to fight through it.

The next time was a bit easier. I handed out 29 book covers and gave five pitches. Believe it or not, that fifth pitch sold two books.

Average it up and it took me about 31 book marks and seven pitches to generate one sale.   I don’t know what other authors do (and I’d be curious to hear about it in the comments below), but that’s actually a pretty good day for me. I would have done much better had I not left about 20 editions of Caught on the convention floor at AwesomeCon. (Just left them there. I completely forgot them.) For one, Caught was much more in demand at Shore Leave than it was at AwesomeCon (different audience). Also, bundling my two books as a deal tends to generate a few extra sales. Learning that made me want to crawl in a hole and cry for a while, but I had things to do.

I don’t consider myself super aggressive or even remotely aggressive. I try to be friendly, and I only communicate with people I think are at least willing to talk to me. My point is, you have to put yourself out there. I don’t think of it as 116 people didn’t want my book. That sort of thinking is poisonous. I considered each person I spoke to a new acquaintance made. Each sale was a victory in and of itself. If those sales result in good reviews, that’s all the more awesome sauce for my cool-guy taco.

So if you’re at an event, and you start to feel like that poor junior high kid who bought a brand new pocket protector just for this dance, get out on the floor and shake your tail feathers. Remember you love what you do, and you like people. The ones who get up and dance with you will be all the more special for it.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

A 3-Star Review for Caught

Greetings all,

I just wanted to share a bit of good news.  Caught has a new three-star review up on Goodreads. I’m always overjoyed at any review. I say it, and I mean it every time. Please feel free to look here to see the latest opinion on my work.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

A 4-Star review for Bob!

I just wanted to share a new review for The Journals of Bob Drifter that just posted. I don’t care how many reviews, good or bad, I get; I’m always happy to see them. I’m honored when someone takes the time to read and review my book. If you’re curious about what was said, head on over here and have a  look!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Caught is out!

This is truly the best feeling in the world. My second novel is finally live and out in the world.

Most of you who’ve been following me have been so amazingly supportive. Now the book is out and being delivered to all those who have preordered.

You can still purchase the ebook for just 99 cents on Amazon.

You can also purchase the paperpack through Amazon.

If you want a signed copy, you can get one through my online store.

I decided not to go with hard covers this time around. With Bob, hard covers were rarely something readers wanted, and I wanted to give readers what they want.

I also got the first review back for Caught, and it’s so kind.  I want to send a special thank you to Sinisterdarksoul for the kind review!

Thank you all again, and I hope you enjoy the book. Whatever you think, please be kind enough to leave a review as they’re invaluable to authors, especially independent authors like me.

As always, thanks for reading,

Matt