Tee Morris

Writer, podcaster. and streamer

Tee Morris

Stranger on a Train XI

I’m giving this app a quick test. I’ve been worried about whether or not I will be able to blog on tomorrow, the final Stranger on a Train for…well…some time. I’m not going to say I will never blog from my iPhone again; and with how many people grok this category…

You know, I got that feeling. There will be other trains, other adventures, other voyages.

Tomorrow is it — my last day as a teacher. It’ll be interesting if I’m ever asked to present. It’s been great. Another return to New Zealand? I hope so. Really loved the trip, the people, the experiences…

Listening to Nathan Lowell’s South Coast. Man, can that guy tell a story or what?

Feeling the Love from across the pond!

In this picture are two people that I hold very dear in my life. One of them is my daughter. I will let you try and figure which one of them is her…

martyn_kiddo

The other “bloke” is Martyn Casserly, a journalist, an accomplished musician, and now he is an award-nominated podcaster with his one-minute Movie Mantras podcast. (Martyn is also a dad and a good mate to boot…although his opinions concerning the new Craig-Bond films and recent Doctor Who are completely wrong, but I digress…) With the many endeavors he had going, Martyn approached me this Spring to talk about an article he was penning on podcast authors. He was optimistic that Wired Magazine (UK) would pick up the column. So I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

This morning, I checked my Twitter stream and found this waiting for me:

My article about Podcast Authors is up on Wired ! @scottsigler, @sethharwood, @jchutchins, @teemonster all appear. http://bit.ly/Pv53w

Now live on the site, Wired Magagine (UK) picked up  “Novels by Podcast” where Martyn discusses how we authors are giving away our hard work in audio format for free. He also goes into the genesis of the podcast novel and why we do what we do.

“Giving away your stories isn’t a risk… it’s a competitive advantage,” explains Scott Sigler. “If a reader who’s never heard of me has $25 to spend and they’re looking at my book next to a Stephen King book, who are they going to choose? They take King. He’s a proven storyteller. But if King is $25 and my story is free they may try me out first. Why not? It’s no risk to them. If they like me, they buy me. If they don’t they buy King. Whatever happens the customer gets what the customer wants.”

It is a tight article covering successes and milestones; and while many who follow us on Twitter, on blogs, and through podcasts, may consider what we do “old hat” after four years, podcasting — and more importantly, podcasting fiction — is still a brand-spanking new concept to the mainstream market. Articles like Martyn’s and venues like Wired are getting the word out about what we are doing. That’s what is important here: getting people to listen.

Show Martyn appreciation by blogging about this article (and yep, I got it covered from the business perspective over at Imagine That!), syndicating his link in your feeds, dropping him comments on the article’s page, and talking it up on your podcasts. Let Wired know we’re paying attention and appreciate their support, and let Martyn know both on Twitter and on Wired that his words ring true.

Thanks, Martyn. Well done!

Perseverance and Peter Gabriel

joy

Today, I got a job.

Today, I got a full time job in Social Media.

While this sounds like something simple, the point I want to make, if I teach the world anything, is not to give up. Don’t give up.

Remember that song? There’s a darkness in that song, sure. I mean, hey, it’s Peter Gabriel. But there’s that optimism (voiced by Kate Bush), that assurance, you can make it through the storm.

I frakkin’ love that song.

People on Twitter and at KrakenQuest’s Great Reveal all knew I was having a tough time at this job hunt, but let me give you the run down that only a few have heard…

October 2007

First, there was actually dusting off the resume. I realized straight away there was a problem: I hadn’t done this in nearly ten years. I had no real experience, apart from my skills in the classroom. It amazed me how many people thought that would make me a valuable asset because I had the mad skills. InDesign, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, and so on and so on. This was going to be a piece of cake.

I knew better. Even with two books in podcasting under my belt, I knew I had a lot of knowledge, but not the experience that people would want. Still, I gave the resume an overhaul with the help and encouragement of Paul Fischer & Martha Halloway, and began the job hunt.

In this proud land we grew up strong
We were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail

February 2008

I was thrilled to connect with a headhunter that found me a client wanting someone knowledgable in Social Media. I went in for the first interview and made such a good first impression that one of the interviewers chased me to the elevator to say “Goodbye.” The headhunter prepped me, said I was close. One more interview. It was supposed to be with the president of the association. Well, okay then. The president and an associate? No problem. We set the time for a late afternoon, after a class; and I cut my class off early so I could make the 4:30 p.m. interview. I walk into the office and meet the president and two associates. Two? Well, okay then. Two. I proceed with the interview, the two associates just watching me and the president wanting me to regale her with tales of my theatre days. (Another blog post about that to come….) After being there for over an hour, the president of the association cuts me off and says “This isn’t going well.”

You could have heard a pin drop.

[Read more…] about Perseverance and Peter Gabriel

A long one’s coming…

I’m still working on this blogpost, but it’s epic. Just thought I’d give you fair warning.

That is all.

7th Son: Remastered

Many of you subscribing to this blog probably already know J.C. Hutchins from 7th Son. I still remember when I was listening to his  Podiobooks.com submission and literally freezing at my computer when I heard the opening line of Descent. From that point on, I tracked with Hutch’s techno-thriller and was honored to kick off 7th Son: Obsidian with my short story, “Miles to Go Before I Sleep.”

I also track Hutch on Twitter, and when he announced that the cover for St. Martins Press’ print release of 7th Son was live on his site, I eagerly followed the link…

Not what I expected.

Hutch was happy though. He really liked the cover, and I supported Hutch’s opinion. I have heard many authors bitch, moan, and complain about their covers, but Hutch was all a squee. I stood by that. His book, his cover. He should be happy. Besides, writers rarely (if ever) get a say on the cover when you’re at the level Hutch is playing at. These are the New York types, after all. The big kahunas of publishing. They know a good cover when they hand one to you. They get the best designers, the best artists, and the best marketing minds together to really make a book leap out and scream “BUY ME NOW!”

These same New York types will also tell you “People don’t judge a book by its cover…” and “The story will sell the book…” I’ve heard both, and more.

My friend was happy with the cover. That’s what really mattered.

Today, I caught Hutch thanking people for their feedback on a new 7th Son: Descent cover. Wait — a new cover? Curious, I clicked on the link, and this haunting image stole my breath away…

Mind-blown and psy-jacked by this totally hot artwork, I called Hutch to congratulate him on scoring a “Sweet as Frak” book cover.

The original artwork for the 7th Son podcast shares a lot in common with this new look for Descent. Seen at Hutch’s website, the podcast artwork was minimalistic, and captured with the DNA strands the twists and turns our heroes experience across three books. With this cover, St. Martins’ Press returns to that motif.  I see from this cloning chamber many tubes connected, mirroring all the connections seven strangers discover with one another; and how their connections all lead back to John Alpha and the chaotic revenge he ensues. I don’t know if that’s intentional, but that’s what I see.

This cover doesn’t just leap out at you. This cover jumps in front of you, bitch-slaps you, and make you say “I’m a pretty girl.” I totally grok this cover, and I can tell you that the story between the covers is even more mind-bending.

I think, from the tweets and talking to Hutch today, he likes the cover too. A lot.

Again, Hutch — congratulations. This is a stunning cover from St. Martins Press, and I look forward to when you sign my copies (yeah, that’s right — copies) of your epic thriller.