| I’d like to thank, and welcome, all the contestants at C.L. Cannon’s Spring Fantasy & Sci-fi BookBub Giveaway. I’ll be doing a summary of what the hell’s going in this newsletter in May when the contest finally ends. If you think you got here by accident you can CLICK HERE to unsubscribe. For anyone else wishing to join the contest, you’ll need to create a free BOOKBUB account, CLICK HERE to access the contest, and follow the easy instructions. There are hundreds of free or discounted books available. There are also numerous ways to win a variety of prizes. Simply scroll to the bottom to see them all. This weekend I’m getting my second COVID shot. Kim and I – she’s my better half – went with the Moderna flavor sponsored, in part, by Dolly Parton. I’ll also be appearing at The Book Fest this weekend. Complete details below. This will be my third appearance and each of the previous times I’ve had more than a thousand people sign up for this newsletter. And, unlike other stodgy events, I’ll have a glass of vodka or two and a hot mic. You don’t want to miss it. More below.  On the good news front Hadithi Sambamba’s contact with Nerdanatix has been reactivated. As many of you will remember, Nerdanatix was unable to secure a PPP loan and closed due to the pandemic last June. They have come up with some creative solutions, cobbled together investors, formalized their relationship with Valor Printing, and are already getting books, including ones I wrote, placed in brick and mortar stores. Currently they are focusing on the American Southwest, since they’re based in Houston, but should be nationwide by the fall. They’re working on building a new website to reflect their new reality. I will share a link when it’s live. More below.  Many of you have asked if I was going to be part of THE BOOKFEST again. The answer is a resounding YES!!! I will be joined by international, best selling, authors James Rollins, Danny Trejo, and many more. Not that either of them could pick me out of a one person lineup, but we will all be there. Sat. April 17th – 6:00pm to 8:00pm CDT Live Author Chats – Hosted by Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington Part afterparty, part networking, and part authors doing whatever the heck they want, this fun interactive event presents authors and literary folks in fast-paced chats with hosts Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington. Some authors may do readings, some may take audience questions, some may make recipes, or do a performance. One thing we know for sure, there will be a lot of surprises. Plus, the winner of the Grand Prize Spring Picnic Giveaway will be announced, along with the Owlcrate and Amazon gift card winners. Host: Jenna Busch, Writer/Host for sites like SYFY Wire, Vital Thrills, Metro, The Washington Post and more. Contributing author to 11 books including Star Wars Psychology. Co-hosted Cocktails With Stan with the legendary Stan Lee. Host: Anastasia Washington, Actress, comedian, filmmaker, director and podcast host. Produced and starred in her One Woman Show, 50 Shades of Mixed: Confessions of Your Ethnically Ambiguous Best Friend. CLICK HERE to sign up for everything. More below.  Finally, I wanted to let you know that I’m offering select quantities of autographed books and comics for sale. All you need to do is CLICK HERE to peruse the selections and place your orders. Of course, should you so desire, you can also CLICK HERE to festoon your rocking bod, and all McSciFi fans have rocking bods, with McSciFi gear. Each design has over one hundred options. And many of the shirts come in 3X and 4X. I also have onesies for your toddlers. There really is something for everyone. If you’re cool with it, send me an email and share a pic of you in McSciFi gear. You won’t be the first, but you will be the coolest. Until next week, stay safe, sane, and inside.  |
Joining the McCool Kids!
Newsletter Posted on Tue, April 06, 2021 08:25:17| I’d like to thank, and welcome, all the contestants at C.L. Cannon’s Spring Fantasy & Sci-fi BookBub Giveaway. I’ll be doing a summary of what the hell’s going in this newsletter in May when the contest finally ends. For anyone else wishing to join the contest, you’ll need to create a free BOOKBUB account and then CLICK HERE and follow the easy instructions. There are hundreds of free or discounted books available. There are also numerous ways to win a variety of prizes. Simply scroll to the bottom of the contest page to see them all. SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY is listed under “Genetic Manipulation.” For those who are new, SPLICE was voted the Best Science Fiction Novel of 2020 by the Critters’ Readers’ Poll. The Critters’ Poll was created by one of the people who developed the Nebula Award. +++++ SPLICE is a non-stop thrill ride, taking the reader on an edge-of-your-seat experience through the worlds of the military and organized crime. Bill McCormick absolutely captures the senses of the military and combat from sight, to sound, to smell, and leaves you only wanting more at the turn of every page. This book gets it right and keeps it coming! Cpt. Josh Grenard (ret) / U.S. Army Combat Vet More below. I was recently interviewed by Cody Johnson of Comic Chat Authority and we talked exclusively about the comics I write. The result was a deep dive into my creative process, the thinking behind the brain bending plots, and an honest look at why I tend to write comics for adults. CLICK HERE to watch the whole thing. It really was a lot of fun. Comic Chat Authority is a weekly show created and hosted by Cody, often along with his wife Kari, that features creators from all over the world. I have discovered creators there I might have, otherwise, missed. If you dig comics, and you dig me so the odds are in favor of that, make sure to check it out. More below.  Many of you have asked if I was going to be part of THE BOOKFEST again. The answer is a resounding YES!!! I will be joined by international, best selling, authors James Rollins, Danny Trejo, and many more. Not that either of them could pick me out of a one person lineup, but we will all be there. Sat. April 17th – 6:00pm to 8:00pm CDT Live Author Chats – Hosted by Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington Part after-party, part networking, and part authors doing whatever the heck they want, this fun interactive event presents authors and literary folks in fast-paced chats with hosts Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington. Some authors may do readings, some may take audience questions, some may make recipes, or do a performance. One thing we know for sure, there will be a lot of surprises. Plus, the winner of the Grand Prize Spring Picnic Giveaway will be announced, along with the Owlcrate and Amazon gift card winners. Host: Jenna Busch, Writer/Host for sites like SYFY Wire, Vital Thrills, Metro, The Washington Post and more. Contributing author to 11 books including Star Wars Psychology. Co-hosted Cocktails With Stan with the legendary Stan Lee. Host: Anastasia Washington, Actress, comedian, filmmaker, director and podcast host. Produced and starred in her One Woman Show, 50 Shades of Mixed: Confessions of Your Ethnically Ambiguous Best Friend. CLICK HERE to sign up for everything. More below. Lastly, I wanted to let you know that I am still offering select quantities of autographed books and comics. All you need to do is CLICK HERE to peruse the selections. Of course, should you so desire, you can also CLICK HERE to festoon your rocking bod, and all McSciFi fans have rocking bods, with McSciFi gear. Each design has over one hundred options. And many of the shirts come in 3X and 4X. I also have onesies for your toddlers. There really is something for everyone. If you’re cool with it, send me an email and share a pic of you in McSciFi gear. Until next week, stay safe, sane, and inside.  |
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I’m Trying to Make You a McWinner!
Newsletter Posted on Tue, March 30, 2021 09:44:21| I’m stepping outside my comfort zone this week and you can get the benefit of that. I joined C.L. Cannon’s Spring Fantasy & Sci-fi BookBub Giveaway. All you need to do is follow some amazing authors on BookBub and you’ll be entered to win a $300 Amazon gift card! It’s easy to do and the list of authors is impressive. All you have to do is CLICK HERE and heed the easy instructions. More below.  Another thing I did was hook up with Cody Johnson of Comic Chat Authority and talk exclusively about the comics I write. The result was a deep dive into the creative process, the thinking behind the brain bending plots, and an honest look at why I tend to write comics for adults. Back in January of 2020, when Cody and his wife first encountered McSciFi, they were mildly terrified. The amount of boobs and dongles was daunting. But, as time went on, and they saw that sane people liked what we do, they circled back to have me join them on their popular YouTube channel. All you need to do is BOOKMARK THIS LINK so you can watch the interview when it goes live tomorrow. More below. Lastly, many of you have asked if I was going to be part of The Bookfest again. The answer is a resounding YES!!! I will be joined by international, best selling, authors James Rollins, Danny Trejo, and many more. Not that either of them could pick me out of a one person lineup, but we will all be there. Sat. April 17th – 6:00pm to 8:00pm CDT Live Author Chats – Hosted by Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington Part afterparty, part networking, and part authors doing whatever the heck they want, this fun interactive event presents authors and literary folks in fast-paced chats with hosts Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington. Some authors may do readings, some may take audience questions, some may make recipes, or do a performance. One thing we know for sure, there will be a lot of surprises. Plus, the winner of the Grand Prize Spring Picnic Giveaway will be announced, along with the Owlcrate and Amazon gift card winners. Host: Jenna Busch, Writer/Host for sites like SYFY Wire, Vital Thrills, Metro, The Washington Post and more. Contributing author to 11 books including Star Wars Psychology. Co-hosted Cocktails With Stan with the legendary Stan Lee. Host: Anastasia Washington, Actress, comedian, filmmaker, director and podcast host. Produced and starred in her One Woman Show, 50 Shades of Mixed: Confessions of Your Ethnically Ambiguous Best Friend. Just CLICK HERE to sign up for all the fun. |
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I’m a Man On a McMission!
Newsletter Posted on Tue, March 23, 2021 08:43:56| For the first two weeks of March some of you were getting my newsletters, but most were not. Apparently the fun people who ran my VPN had coded me as spam, causing many email providers to reject me entirely. They never have told me why they did that. In any case, there was no way of finding out who got excluded and who didn’t. So, I decided to not risk blowing up in-boxes with multiple copies of the same email. Instead I got a new VPN, popped the two missing newsletters online, and moved on. If you did miss them, just CLICK HERE to be introduced to the wonderful and talented E. M. Swift-Hook as well as catch up on some of my stuff. Also, you can CLICK HERE to catch up on my latest virtual appearance and enjoy some cool comic book news. Also, since these last couple of weeks have seen an uptick in new subscriptions, HI EVERYONE, feel free to CLICK HERE to check out a bunch of freebies you can enjoy. As always, you can share that link with anyone you wish. It gets updated pretty regularly. As always, you can check out the Reader’s Poll selection of the best sci-fi novel of 2020, SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY, the fan favorite, prequel and sequel of The Brittle Riders Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek, and, of course, the granddaddy of them all, The Brittle Riders. Anyway, it feels good to be back in your lives. Until next week stay safe, sane, and inside.    |
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Meet Some McNew Peeps!
Newsletter Posted on Tue, March 09, 2021 08:20:59| E. M. Swift-Hook is one of those people who are embedded in the trenches, covered in mud, blood, and slime, who works tirelessly to ensure Sci-Fi writers like me have readers. But, when she’s not out helping others, she’s an author of some renown. Not content to write a trilogy, she wrote three, interconnected, trilogies under the Fortune’s Fools banner, as well as an ongoing series known as The Dai and Julia Mysteries which she co-authored with Jane Jago. That being said, she has finally wrapped up the Fortune’s Fools series with A Necessary End: Iconoclast Trilogy: Book Three (Fortune’s Fools 9). You can just call it A Necessary End and it’ll be just fine. “When it comes to the crunch point, all you can count on are your own wits, and the only person you can trust completely is yourself.” With the last strands of his grand plan meshing together, Durban Chola is beset by doubts about his own motives and identity. The consequences of his past actions make it difficult to persuade old allies to support him or to find new ones. His enemies have their plans well advanced. Then there is the price of his ultimate success to consider – a price that will be paid by all of humanity for good or ill. A Necessary End is the final volume in Fortune’s Fools. The last book of the third trilogy, Iconoclast. More below.  I recently was interviewed Jude Matulich Hall for JMH Writers & Illustrators. The Facebook page they use is private but she kindly agreed to let me reprint it here. Get a sense of Bill McSciFi’s wit, humor in the face of injury, and search for the truth in his stories! 1. What are some of the obstacles you have faced with your writing and how did you overcome them? “The biggest obstacle is thinking it’s not good enough. I wrestle with that often. After that, it’s assembling the bits and pieces of flotsam and jetsam floating in my mind into a linear tale.” 2. There is a movie coming out of Splice. Is Splice your creation? Is the movie based on the book or the book based on the movie? “Splice was created by Tye Feimster of Watchdog Entertainment. It was a minor character in a series of comic books he’d released. I pitched him a comic book based on it and ended up selling a movie. Then we circled back, and I wrote the novel. For the record, I never did sell the comic. This may be the best failure I’ve ever endured. One fun part of writing it was having experts check out some scenes so I ensured they rang true. So, I had a retired Army captain, with combat experience, review the military stuff, an Imam review the parts about a Middle Eastern character, and a member of the local mafia review my parts on the New York mob. I got high marks from all of them.” 3. You say that not selling the comic book for Splice might be the best failure you’ve ever endured. Now that there is a movie coming out, might there be a chance we’ll get to see that comic book? “Not now. If the comic gets done it will be a continuation of the story and not a new version.” 4. I think a question that is on everyone’s mind to everyone else on the planet is: How have you been staying sane during these isolating times of the Covid Pandemic? “I’m not sure I have. I shredded my meniscus last year and was unable to walk for a few months until they could schedule my surgery. In other words, I was a lump on a chair and not much else. I do know that writing helps. Being able to set my various demons and internal monsters free and give them life, instead of letting them fester in my mind, goes a long way to keeping me sane. Whether it’s far enough I’ll leave to the professionals.” Thank you, Bill, we look forward to seeing your works! +++++ I recently took part in a panel on World Building hosted by Phoebe Darqueling. If you’d like to check it out, just CLICK HERE to join the fun. Phoebe was our gracious host, and popular authors Andy Zach and Wesley Britton rounded out the quorum. I know I promised you exciting news for my books. Unfortunately, there was a minor mishap with the printer and one of the books was accidentally formatted to be almost six hundred pages long. It would have been a tiny, but incredibly thick, tome. While that’s being sorted out you can still get your copy of SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY, and digital versions of Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek and The Brittle Riders: Omnibus Edition. For individual copies, either print or digital, of each book in The Brittle Riders trilogy just CLICK HERE and have fun. I think that’s enough for this week. Until next week stay safe, sane, and inside.  |
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Good McMorning
Newsletter Posted on Tue, March 02, 2021 08:16:52| The nice people who keep me from dropping trou in public, a/k/a consultants, have asked me to be a little more personable with these newsletters. So, to bring you up to date; I’m 59 years old, happily engaged to a beautiful woman, and I’m a moron. That last statement is borne out with this story. I recently had knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. It was torn worse than originally thought, the surgeon said it looked like origami, but I left the hospital on my own power and soon began therapy. A week into therapy we had that nasty snow storm which dumped about 18 inches on us in a couple of days. Our landlord sent over a family to shovel the walks but they needed access to the back door. So I bravely did the manly man thing and walked out into the snow, around the building, down a flight of snow covered steps with no railings, opened the door, twisted my recently repaired knee, and instantly wiped out any gains made by therapy. The good news is additional therapy got me back to a baseline, and I am now getting better. And, yes, my doctor told me not to do that again. In any case, I survived and that means I’ll be around for another meet and greet. You can hang out with not so bright me, along with actual cool people, at LitCon from March 5th through the 7th. If you’re a true masochist, you can watch live panels, including the one I’m in, on their Facebook Page. When it’s all over videos will be posted on LitCon’s YouTube channel. Silliness aside, there will be authors spanning multiple genres so you should be able to find something you like. Lastly, I wanted to note that two comic series I write for have been getting new, and laudatory, reviews. Legends Parallel There is much to ponder here in terms of thought-provoking issues of race, sexuality, culture and society’s attitudes to history and relationships. You want anthropological context and sociological commentary? This has jugs of it. – Sci Fi Comic Nexus AND Hybrid Zero: Juggernaut Brown’s art is an unrestrained explosion of Expressionist fervour, portraying hyper-expansive worldbuilding and surreal sensuality. He also created the characters and conceived the original story, so this is from the heart, and it shows. It’s not all cartoony spectacle, though, he also excels at vast, atmospheric futuristic cityscapes and complex exotic architecture and infrastructures. There is plenty here to delight the eye. – Sci Fi Comic Nexus I’ll be back next week with some exciting updates on my novels but, until then, please stay safe, sane, and inside.   |
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We Are McNailing It!
Newsletter Posted on Tue, February 23, 2021 07:53:01| Recently I have gotten a few emails from overseas fans who wondered if they could listen to my weekly guest spot on The Big Wakeup Call with Ryan Gatenby. The answer is a resounding YES as long as you tune in on Friday at 9:10 AM (CST), you can listen along with everyone else. Also, as long as we’re crossing the various ponds, when you access my Amazon Author Page you’ll be directed to a similar page in your country and you can order McSciFi locally. It has been brought to my attention that most countries have the print option available if you’d prefer a hard copy. So, go ahead, dive in, and spend mad money. As long as we’re mucking about in different countries, allow me to remind you that there is a McSciFi Shop in England. Just like the American version you can get everything from adult T-shirts to onsies for your toddlers. There are over one hundred options for each design. Hopefully you can find something you like. Returning to the USA, keep in mind that I have a wide variety of comic books available with more coming out as the year goes on. It is one of the fun parts of my gig, getting to work with artists from all over the world to bring wildly disparate visions to life. There’s a little something for everyone, so give yourself a few minutes to check them out. A quick reminder that SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGIY and Goptri of the Mists are winning new fans every day. While you need not have read The Brittle Riders before tackling Goptri, it does enhance the experience if you have. Both books are extremely different from each other. SPLICE is a collection of terse chapters that propel the reader face first into the action. Three separate reviewers have called it a “non stop thrill ride.” I can live with that. Goptri, on the other hand, is a hundred thousand word chapter that explores multiple themes while still being laden with sex, violence, and philosophy. That’s enough for one day. Until next week stay safe, sane, and inside.   |
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My McFans are McFreaking Awesome!
Newsletter Posted on Tue, February 16, 2021 06:00:49| Last week I shared the scantily clad joy of Sabrina Zaremba and her love of Hybrid Zero and Legends Parallel. While I’m forced to admit that not every fan strips down and poses for selfies with my writing, it’s nice to know she’s not alone. Another superfan, who remains clothed when reading my stuff, as far as I know, is Ivan. Even so, that didn’t stop him from sending me a box set of hot sauces (image below). The, Phoenix based boutique company, Cutino’s Hot Sauces, makes a variety of hot sauces which are an absolute joy on your tongue. And mine! Another fan with a plan, the legendary sci-fi writer Eric Klein, took time out of his busy day to interview me for his blog. If you want to do a deep dive into the world of SPLICE this is your chance. Also, people seem to have figured out how to use my Gear Page and are now festooning themselves in McSciFi related merchandise (image below). From onesies for toddlers, to masks for the kids, to sexy T-shirts, there’s something for everyone. And, if you don’t see what you want, just reach out and ask. More often than not I can make it happen. I know, there’s a lot of pretty pictures today. I’ve been trying to have one topic, with one image, to keep things nice and clear. But, when you have this much awesome sauce you just have to ladle that stuff out. A quick reminder that SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGIY and Goptri of the Mists are winning new fans every day. While you need not have read The Brittle Riders before tackling Goptri, it does enhance the experience if you have. Both books are extremely different from each other. SPLICE is a collection of terse chapters that propels the reader face first into the action. Three separate reviewers have called it a “non stop thrill ride.” I can live with that. Goptri, on the other hand, is a hundred thousand word chapter that explores multiple themes while still being laden with sex, violence, and philosophy. And, finally, FUN TIME AT THE APOCALYPSE A GO-GO, has been released in Sci-Fi Lampoon. This satirical look at the world of Riverdale, legendary home to Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica (all with new names so I don’t get sued into the Middle Ages), is one of the most profane things I’ve ever written. And that’s saying something. I can always tell when someone’s read it. They will immediately greet me with “Police suspect foul play” and then laugh. That’s enough for one day. Until next week stay safe, sane, and inside.  |
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