September 1, 2010
There's actually a project on the Projects page! The artist is working on the first issue of my comic book series. Hopefully, I will find a publisher so he can work on the other eight! Check out the Projects page to see what the first page is going to look like.
August 19, 2010
I had a great time at Comic-Con. It was a lot less
aggravating than last year and I didn’t get attacked by any pen-wielding
maniacs. On Saturday, I did try to get into the Marvel Avengers panel but
didn’t make it in. But overall, I was a good boy and went to panels that would
be beneficial to my career and it paid off. I discovered a group called Comic
Book Sunday! that is made up of people in the comic book industry, writers,
film producers, animators and other parts of the entertainment industry that
meet once a week in L.A. to discuss comics and movies. This grew into the
members creating and working on each other’s projects. The guy who started it
is from New Jersey and is starting a Philadelphia chapter. The first meeting is
this Sunday and I am going. It should be a good time and hopefully a great
networking opportunity.
I also discovered that thanks to the iPhone and iPad,
digital comics are starting to take off. I went to an interesting panel on that
as well. Overall, it has inspired me to break out the graphic novel script and
give it another try. I divided it up into 9 parts because I think being an
unknown, I have a better chance of people discovering a comic—even if it is in
the middle of the series—than spending money on a one-shot graphic novel from
someone they never heard of before. It looks like I may have an artist. I
really hope it’s not a debacle like last time. At least this guy is in the U.S.
and has worked for some companies so it seems he is indeed on the level. Once it’s
done I am going to submit it to independent comic book publishers and digital
comics sites. Hopefully, someone will publish it so I can have the artist draw
the other eight issues. Who knows? I might actually have a project to put on
the project page!
July 14, 2010
Yes, I know it’s almost been a year since my last update and that’s because all of my projects are pretty much in the non-existence phase. I don’t know if anyone even bothers to check my site anymore but for that one brave soul who just might, this update’s for you. Well, Comic-Con 2010 is next week and the wife and I are returning. This year I am finally going to try and make Preview Night. Both times I had passes for it, we either got there too late to get the badges or, in the case of last year, were so jet-lagged we took a nap and when we got up, we missed the window to pick up the Preview Night Badge. I don’t really have anything to try and accomplish this year at Comic-Con but their theme is “The Year of the Writer” so I am going to try and catch as many informative panels as I can. That means trying to be disciplined and not being so obsessed with trying to get into the movie and TV panels which I most likely won’t get into anyway. I guess I’ll take my business cards (still have a bunch from last year) just in case I need them. Anything exciting happens, I will let you know.
August 24, 2009
Okay, so here’s the update on the Indonesian artist. When I filed a grievance with PayPal, he emailed me that night telling me he was having trouble with his internet connection and had been unable to get on (he said he was using his cell phone to email me) and hoped to have the artwork to me by the following Monday. I haven’t heard from him since. Yesterday PayPal ruled in my favor but the asshole only had $15.02 in his PayPal account so it looks like that’s all I’m getting back. My guess is that he was stalling me with a sob story so he could get his check from PayPal before they could refund the money to me. Oh, well, guess that’s what I get for not buying American, huh?
I also emailed the artist I met at the Las Vegas airport on the way to Comic-Con but never heard back from him either. I decided to put the graphic novel on the backburner because it’s too much aggravation. I have moved onto a new project and will keep you posted if anything actually comes of it.
July 30, 2009
Comic-Con 2009 has come and gone. Man, was it insane. It was so hard to get into panels because people camped out for them days ahead of schedule. And there were even lines to get into some booths! Crazy! All I wanted to do was look at the Warner Bros. booth and get some of their swag but could never get into it. You’d think after laying me off, I could at least get a stupid Harry Potter bag for my wife!
It was so crazy that I didn’t even get a chance to network with publishers. However, I did meet a nice couple (literally) of artists during our layover in Las Vegas. They were getting married at Comic-Con on Sunday.
As for the artist I hired in Indonesia? Well, I haven’t heard back from him since July 16th when I sent him a down payment through PayPal. He sent me an email saying he had received it and was working on my pages and would give me an update that weekend but never did. I emailed him last Sunday while I was still at Comic-Con and never heard back. So I emailed him today and said if I don’t hear back from him by the end of the day I am filing a grievance with PayPal. Most likely, the money is gone. See? Everyone says I am always so negative so this time I tried not to be (since I was hesitant about hiring someone overseas) and got screwed yet again. Man, I have the worst fucking luck.
The funny thing is I offered to pay him in full when he was done or half now and the other half when he was finished. When in reality, I wanted to pay him in full when he was finished and emailed me files of the pages to prove he had done them. But I figured if I did this I would look like a dick and maybe he would think I was going to rip him off. So much for not being a dick. Next time I will channel my inner asshole and be a demanding prick.
In any case, we’ll see what happens with the comic book. I may just abandon it and try to make a short film since that would probably be cheaper than hiring an artist.
As always, folks…stay tuned.
July 22, 2009
In seven hours my wife and I will be on a plane heading to San Diego for Comic-Con 2009! I know realistically I probably won’t find a publisher for my graphic novel but hopefully I’ll discover some publishers I wasn’t aware of to query later. And there are some interesting panels I can attend that hopefully will be helpful. By the way, I couldn’t find an artist to collaborate for free so I hired an artist/inker and a colorist in Indonesia. I figured I can pay them for a submission sample and if I find a publisher hope they’ll do it for a share of the profits. Though somehow I don’t see that happening.
In any case, I’m looking forward to going back to San Diego. I haven’t been there in a few years and I love it there. I was able to book the hotel in Little Italy that we like and I can’t wait to eat at our favorite restaurant Filippi’s as well as stroll around downtown. Of course, I am also looking forward to joining the geekfest. It’s supposed to rain here in Philly the next few days so, as it turns out, it’s the perfect time to get away to sunny and dry San Diego. I’ll post when I get back if I have any good news.
June 24, 2009
I know, I know. It's been a while since I've posted an update. I haven’t mentioned this before because I didn’t want to jinx it but I adapted one of my screenplays into a graphic novel. It was going to be published by a new independent publishing company that someone who briefly used to rep me back in 2001 started. I finished the script in late December and the next step was to search for an artist that the publisher was going to pay for. Then last month he informed me he wouldn't be able to publish it after all. I'm guessing it was too expensive. Oh, well, so much for jinxing it, huh?
Since I worked so hard, I’d hate to just abandon it so I am starting to look for a new publisher. The only problem is that most of them want a finished book and I was stunned to discover how much it costs to hire an unknown artist. Some wanted $150-$200 a page and my book is 172 pages! Where are all these starving artists I keep hearing about? Keep in mind that not only do you have to hire an artist but you also have to hire an inker, colorist, and letterer. It's a lot of dough-ray-me, my friends!
In any case, I am going to try and find someone who will work on it for free and take a cut of the profits (if there ever are any). While I'm at San Diego Comic-Con next month, I will look for a new publisher. Keep in mind however that I have the worst luck in the world.
Not to mention the fact that telling you all this probably jinxes it, doesn’t it?
November 12, 2008
On November 9, 2008, I lost my beloved Nicky to liver cancer. He passed away the day after his 13th birthday and eight months after Gizmo. I can’t believe I lost them both in the same year and so soon. Nick was my best friend. He was always with me and stayed up late with me. He loved his family very much and we loved him right back. Whenever we would come home, he was always so excited to see us even if we had only been gone for a half hour or so. Nothing made him happier than being with his family. Nick loved me so much. He followed me everywhere. Every time I opened a door, I had to do so slowly because he was no doubt patiently waiting on the other side of it. His love humbled me. I don’t know why he loved me so much but I am honored that he did. On what turned out to be his last birthday, we got him blueberry muffins which were his favorites. He loved his sweets—licorice was a particular favorite as well as watermelon as long as it was sweet. He always made us smile and laugh and made us happy. Whenever I was having a bad day, I would look at him and realize that my life couldn’t be that bad if he was in it. I am so shocked and sad that he is no longer in it physically but I know he will always be with me. I will always love and miss you. Goodbye, my little Nicholas. Now you and MoMo can be together again. Thanks to the both of you for being in my life and making it that much richer. One day I will walk through that final door of life and will once again find you and Gizmo patiently waiting for me on the other side. Until that day, you both will always be alive in my mind and in my heart.
Nicholas Turchiarolo
November 8, 1995 – November 9, 2008
April 11, 2008
On March 22, 2008, I lost my beloved Gizmo. He was sixteen years old (soon to
be seventeen on June 12th) and lived a long life but that certainly doesn’t make his loss any easier to take. I am so happy that he and Nick live with us and I got to spend a lot of time with him this last year and a half. Especially since I missed seeing him so much those nine years I lived in
California. He was a small dog with a huge heart. He didn’t look or act like a Shih Tzu. He was tough and loved life. He wasn’t afraid of anything. He was stubborn and loved a challenge. Even in his old age, he never let life stop him. There were no barriers in life for Gizmo, only obstacles to break through (sometimes quite literally!). I wish that I could be more like him. Goodbye, my little furry brother. I will never forget you and I will love and miss you forever.
Gizmo Turchiarolo
June 12, 1991-March 22, 2008
November 8, 2007
Today is Nick's 12th birthday! Happy Birthday, Nicky!! I love you, my little furball!!
September 28, 2007
It's been awhile since I posted any news so I figured I'd check in and say hello. Can you believe summer is over already? Even though it doesn't feel like it here in Philly since it's been so hot and humid this week. Which is fine by me since I'm not looking forward to my second winter here in the City of Brotherly Love. Well, not too much new to report. I have been remiss with my blogging and I apologize. However, I have been busy writing so it's not like I've been a total bum. "Total" being the keyword. That's it for now. Until next time....peace out!
June 25, 2007
I was stunned and devastated to discover on Friday that Father Lawrence Signey, the pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine, my church in Burbank, died on March 10th. He was only 45 years old. I admit I was never one who particularly enjoyed going to mass and I’ve always been a bit cynical when it came to the Catholic Church but all of that changed when Father Lawrence came to St. Robert's in 2001. He always made us laugh and made going to mass fun. His sermons weren’t all about fire and brimstone. Instead they were insightful and uplifting. He brought such a sense of community to the parish that even though he was only there for a short time, I can’t imagine St. Robert’s without him. I simply cannot grasp the fact he is really gone and when I go back to Burbank to visit later this summer, he won’t be there saying mass. If you would like to know more about him, please click here. Thank you, Father Lawrence, for everything you did for all of us at St. Robert’s. You will be greatly missed.
June 12, 2007
Today is Gizmo's 16th birthday! Happy Birthday, Momo!! I love ya, my fuzzy little buddy!
May 14, 2007
Hello, everyone! Sup? The little woman and I recently moved into a house in the burbs. It's great and we're all enjoying it even though this past Saturday we had a strange (but funny) experience in our new neighborhood. Go read all about it at The Torch Chronicles!
February 28, 2007
Yo! How's everybody doing? I can't believe it's the last day of February. Is it just me or is this year flying by already? I posted a new entry to The Torch Chronicles tonight (well, technically this morning). If you haven't visited it in a while, click on over and check out my recent rants.
January 24, 2007
Happy New Year everybody! Oh, wait, is it still okay to say Happy New Year or are we too far into January to still be wishing it? I'll let you struggle with that one and make your own decision. In any case, just wanted to let you all know that the first entries of The Torch Chronicles for 2007 have been posted so when you get a chance, go and check them out!
