Bill McSciFi's Blog

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. While the history of the holiday is problematic, the chance to share time with family and friends is not to be discounted. Kim, she’s my fiancée, and I finally convinced skeptical humans we are finally getting married next July 9th. We’ve picked the church, the minister, the processional music, the organist, and the outfits. I wanted to wear a tux featuring pink skulls but was outvoted, infinity to one, against that. Oh well, a boy can dream.

As I’m typing this Marcie’s Marvels is taking advantage of a national promotional campaign, run by Desirae Benson, and meeting with multiple representatives in the entertainment industry. While nothing is ever guaranteed, this kind of notice for a first issue is unprecedented.

The real story of Marcie Jonea Gerald is tragic. She committed suicide at fifteen years of age after being sexually abused and later harassed. Her mother, Elizabeth Gerald, didn’t want that to be her daughter’s final legacy. She started the MJG Movement which is dedicated to serving as a resource for children and families who are victims of sexual abuse and suicide. They welcome you to join them on their mission to educate, encourage, prevent, and heal!

More below.

In other comic book news, Cyril Brown the creator of the Hybrid Zero multiverse, has started a new sideline. He will be creating custom pin ups of his characters as well as anything your little heart and wallet desires.

In an effort to tease you into sharing your hard earned cash with him you can now read Hybrid Zero: Juggernaut, Jungle Grrl, and Cassandra and the Changeling Sword for free online.

Here’s what British comic book reviewer, Zak Weber had to say about Hybrid Zero: Juggernaut.

Hybrid Zero from writer Bill McCormick and storyteller/artist Cyril Brown is a comical tale for mature readers (McCormick also brought us the boob-tastic Legends Parallel) but there is much more here than just sex jokes in space. We are introduced to a complex interspecies society with a variety of different cultures, rituals and social norms. All is not rosy in this grand arena; human separatists are protesting for the preservation of the human body from technological modifications. On planet Cerks the Quterion troops are accused of excessive use of force in quashing a rebellion, earning themselves a reputation as aggressive demons… which might explain Zoe’s penchant for destruction whenever she is given half a chance, as the robot defenders of her grandfather’s garden soon discover.

How will she fare against whatever mysterious being has stepped through the portal her aunt has ripped in the fabric of spacetime? If she fails, what are the consequences for the fate of the universe?

Central to the story are the relationships between Zoe and her parents, in particular their unconventional marriage and somewhat questionable parenting: what kind of mother designs her own child’s body as a weapon?

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 …

Especially if you like extremely over-the-top space operas that include characters with unfeasibly large body parts.

That’s enough for today. Until next week please stay safe, sane, and inside as much as possible.

First, some good news for the beleaguered among you. I will be taking next week off. Of course, if you find yourself craving some red-hot McSciFi, you can just CLICK HERE to wallow in the awesomeness of it all.

Last week we began the Azoth Khem library promotion. Even after removing duplicates, and people who have other things to do, we still have a list of over 17,000 active librarians and book buyers. Since Azoth is listed in Baker and Taylor, America’s premiere book seller for libraries, librarians know they can trust the seller to deliver promptly and at a fair price.

Last week we introduced them to SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY. If you click that link you’ll see the same promo page librarians see. You’ll also note there are no purchase links. That’s because the only way you can buy is to have your library in the Baker and Taylor system. Since librarians know that, and there’s a reminder in the cover letter just in case, all they need are the ISBNs to plug into the search engine. Once they do that all the coo-coo coolness surrounding the title will be revealed.

This week they will be introduced to The Brittle Riders. Since the Omnibus is not available in print in most countries, we are just offering the trilogy. Nevertheless, people seem to like that option. Carrying around a normal sized book, as opposed to 1,200+ pages of a dystopian hellscape, is easier on the biceps I’m told.

When I get back we’ll introduce them to Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek. That will complete their immersion into all things McSciFi for a while. After that we’ll introduce them to the rest of the Azoth Khem catalog.

Then it just becomes a slate of monthly updates to remind them we’re still alive and kicking. While this is a slow process, as libraries all get funding and make purchases on different schedules, the end result should be worth it. Besides, like any task, you can’t succeed if you don’t start.

Until next time, I wish you all nothing but good health, success, and happiness. Oh yeah, wear a mask, social distance, and get vaxxed. The world will like you more if you do.

  I recently participated in a fun interview with Karina Kantas, of Behind the Pen. She interviews people she knows nothing about and tries to find out about them as the interview progresses. Lots of fun tangents here. I can promise I’ve never done another interview quite like it. Listen and enjoy.

As many of you know, I partnered with Spreadshirts, owners of Spreadshops, a couple of years back to create my merchandise. And, to be honest, it’s one of the few smart things I have done in my life. People order stuff, they handle manufacturing and delivery, guarantee high quality goods, and I don’t have a living room full of T-shirts and crap. A win/win situation as far as I’m concerned

Now, they’re teaming up with TeamSeas on a mission to remove 30 million pounds of trash from the ocean. Every $1 donated = 1 pound of trash removed! Can we all band together to raise $30,000,000 in 2 months?! Of course we can.

You can donate directly at Team Seas Dot Org or, and this is the fun part, Spreadshop is donating $1 for every water bottle sold in Spreadshops worldwide from October 29th – December 31st, 2021.

Depending on how you want your water bottle festooned, you can go to the McSciFi Shop, the Legends Parallel Shop, or the Hybrid Zero Shop. All three are proud to participate in this promotion.

Hey, it’s our planet too and there is no second option at the moment.

More below.

Two fun things I need to share and then you can get back to your coffee.

First, as you read this, my publisher, Azoth Khem is launching a promotion to almost twenty thousand libraries across America and making discounted copies of their catalog available to them. To avoid confusion they will be promoting one book at a time. Today they’re promoting SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY.

Second, this Thursday, November 11, 2021, at 11 AM (UTC), Catpunk will be going live. This is an exciting opportunity for investors to get a brand new NFT and have it supported by a stable cryptocurrency, Solana.

Plus, and this is the fun part, you can now read up on the entire universe I created as a backstory. When you CLICK HERE you’ll be taken to a world unlike any you’ve ever encountered. Microchips, gangs, ninjas, and strippers are only the beginning.

I had a blast creating this world and I hope you’ll enjoy it. If nothing else, it’s a rare chance to read my stuff for free.

Until next week, stay sane, inside when possible, and get vaxxed. I’m kind of fond of you and would like to keep you around.

I’m selfish like that.

Regular readers of my weekly missives are already aware that I’ve been creating a fictional universe for the Vietnamese owned NFT Cryptocurrency Cat Punk. Even though it hasn’t gone completely public, that happens on November 11, people are already writing fan fiction based on my stories. This is an exciting project and one I’m honored to be a part of. Thanks Internet!

In the “No way I saw this coming” department I have been hired by Chief Doctor Quinton Tamba Taylor de’Alexander of Luffa County in Liberia to create a comic book based on his incredible journey from, internationally renowned, Chicago fashion designer to Chief of one of the largest tribes in Liberia and a sponsor of four elementary schools. It’s a story unlike any other and it’s turning out to be a lot of fun to write.

Prior to to becoming Chief, Dr. de’Alexander had already begun his charity, We Dream in Color Foundation.

Project “We Live And Remember In Color” groundbreaking mission is to unify the awareness colors of health and humanity in one ribbon. Our objective is to stress the importance of knowing your color. Knowing your color is the key to mind and body support, disease prevention, and humanitarian assistance. Because people give most to what matters to them, the project “We Live And Remember In Color” intends to showcase events in collaboration with other organizations in fund raising efforts toward the many “Colors” that affect us all the many COLOR‘s that affect us all.

As you can tell by the logo below, they are talking about far more than the levels of melanin we each have. To accomplish their goals they feed the homeless, host charity galas, and much more. You can get a better idea by clicking here.

More below.

Last week I talked about the great reviews Marcie’s Marvels is getting. The real story of Marcie Jonea Gerald is tragic. She committed suicide at fifteen years of age after being sexually abused and later harassed. Her mother, Elizabeth Gerald, didn’t want that to be her daughter’s final legacy. She started the MJG Movement which is dedicated to serving as a resource for children and families who are victims of sexual abuse and suicide. They welcome you to join them on their mission to educate, encourage, prevent, and heal!

To help facilitate getting the word out, Marcie’s Marvels is now being handled by a 5-Star rated publicist, Desirae L. Benson. Desirae, I can call her by her first name since we bonded over an email, brings a wealth of experience and accolades to bear on Marcie’s Marvels and has already begun securing interviews for Elizabeth so she can tell her daughter’s story to a wider audience.

If you have a blog or magazine and would be willing to review a digital copy, just respond to this email.

As you can tell, things are getting busy in McSciFi-Land, still the world’s oddest amusement park, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Please remember to white-list info@mcscifibooks.com so you don’t miss a thing.

Until next week, stay safe, get vaxxed, and wear a mask.

I’m sorry I’ve been AWOL for the last two weeks but I was neck deep in adulting and had no choice.  One fun thing that happened while I was gone was that I was named science fiction author of the month by the Knights of the Science Fiction Roundtable. That was a pleasant surprise.

Anyway, Marcie’s Marvels is out and starting to get noticed. There are two video trailers; one done by Zak Webber and the other by me. Although both were labors of love, I can honestly say Zak’s is cooler.

Zak not only cut a teaser for Marcie’s Marvels he also wrote a great review.

In the story, Marcie lives with her blind mother who knows nothing of her daughter’s alter ego (or does she?)… Being able to literally fly in and out of your bedroom window makes sneaking around even easier than usual, but mothers – even blind ones – can be more perceptive than they appear.

Prihanto illustrates the proceedings with a light, fresh touch. Our heroine is superhuman but also human; a believable teenage girl rather than a stereotypical Amazonian goddess. This is no lycra-clad athlete with an improbably buoyant bust (so beloved of comic fanboys of all ages), rather a very normal looking kid who could be your own sister or classmate… but with a secret life.

Her associate – a mysterious older guy who acts as researcher and protective mentor (kind of like Batman’s Alfred and James Bond’s Q) – provides her with her suit and various gadgets to help her in her missions. She sets off to hunt for possible locations where the missing kids are being held. She runs into plenty of trouble along the way, but nothing she can’t handle.

This is straightforward caped crusader fare, but with a dark edge. It does not shy away from the grim realities of the world. Marcie is super-powered but not invulnerable. The ending is not totally happy. The message here is an uplifting one about fighting for what is right, but without the naiveté of a children’s story in which everything turns out perfect once the villain has been thwarted. This is aimed at a somewhat more mature readership. There are dangers out there and you don’t make them go away by pretending they don’t exist. This is also a message about awareness: knowledge is power, and empowerment is essential to young people.

Not to be outdone, critically acclaimed and award winning author, Pam Harrison, wrote a review for ICC Magazine. Like Zak, she liked the art from Eko Prihanto, which is clean and fits the story perfectly.

I know Bill McCormick’s writing style, and by the end of the first issue I was left with a lot of questions. This intro sets the stage for some intense, gritty storytelling, because that’s how Bill rolls: This series supports the MJG Movement, named in honor of Marcie Jonea Gerald. The MJGM is a Children’s Advocacy organization dedicated to serving as a resource for children and families that are victims of sexual abuse and suicide. Bill says of this series, “We decided to avoid the origin trope (in the very first issue of the series). Marcie is who she is. Each issue will tackle different aspects of horrors directed at teens.”

The stage is set. We soon will find out exactly why Marcie is so driven in her mission to avenge abused kids. And she’s good at it. She has passion for what she’s doing, and still manages to get to school on time. She’s driven. She has the tech and the savvy provided by her agent friends, who we know nothing about, either. Seriously, Bill. No origin story yet? We’ll have to wait for the next installment – just like a classic pulp fiction serial – to learn all the back story, one clue at a time, and find out what happens next!

And we’re going to root for Marcie balancing school and superheroing, and getting home in time for dinner. But in the end of that first issue, we already get the feeling that her Mom is not as blind as we think she is.

That’s a lot of drama, tension, and anxious anticipation for just one little comic. I knew, when the first draft was done, I was on to something. It was decided early on to eschew the traditional origin story. I wanted to throw readers into the deep end without a life-vest.

More below

Just a quick reminder that I write books without pictures and some people like them. I will note, that as of this date, you can only buy the paperback version of the Omnibus edition of The Brittle Riders in select countries, none of which are named the United States of America. That is not due to some grand conspiracy. Instead, it’s due to supply chain issues and paper shortages. My author copies of Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek took almost four months to arrive. The comics I write have experienced a twenty percent cost increase for printing. We had to suspend sales of comics to stores for now. Between shipping and printing I would lose .75 ¢ per comic. If you want one you’ll need to order it from my online store. I’ll even autograph it if you wish.

SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY

Winner of the Best SciFi Novel of 2020 on the Critters Reader’s Poll.
* – A nonstop thrill ride
* – Fascinating and terrifying
* – The best damn thing I’ve ever read
* – The Desert Eagle seems like overkill for a close shot, but I have no complaints
* – I’m buying popcorn now for when this hits the big screen

The Brittle Riders Series or its Omnibus Edition

* – Some of the best world building I’ve ever encountered
* – It sympathetically manages to bridge the gap between faith and technology
* – McCormick packs more in twelve words than others do in twelve paragraphs
* – Fuck McCormick, he made me cry when a cockroach died
* – When I hit book three I surrendered. I had no clue what was going to happen, but I needed to find out

Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek

* – There’s a horny squid and nukes. What more could I ask for?
* – I never considered giving my spouse a year’s worth of meat for our anniversary
* – Okay, wow, did not see this villain coming
* – Relentless and riveting
* – He’s always been LGBTQIA+ friendly, but this subtly raises the bar and I, for one, am thrilled

I should also note that I appear in numerous anthologies and there are some shorts you can read for free on that link. Just scroll down.

As always, if I’ve written something you liked, you can always leave a review on my GoodReads page. While you’re there you can also post questions, check out my suggestions, and have more fun than you might imagine.

Until next week, please stay safe, sane, and inside as much as possible. I’ve grown kind of fond of you.

I do love when something new and fun lands on my plate. I have been asked to write for Catpunk. Just FYI, the site is currently being built so it’s still a work n progress. Even so, it’ll give you a good idea of what’s going on. Unlike my other projects, this time I’m creating a fictional history for an NFT. The acronym stands for non fungible token.That means you get something unique, i.e. non-fungible or not capable of being duplicated, attached to the value of a bitcoin. Bitcoin is a type of crypto currency, also known as a blockchain, that is the digital equivalent of the gold standard. There is a set amount that can be made and after that all you can do is trade for them.

The Catpunk NFTs will be based on the Solana blockchain. Over two thousand people buy or trade this currency every second. That’s a lot of people.

And each and every one of them will get the opportunity to visit Paw City and catch up on the world I’m creating. This is going to be a fun project. I hope you’ll bookmark it and follow along.

More below.

A few of you asked me to share the fan reviews again. I am happy to do so. Just remember, all my newsletters are memorialized on my blog and there’s a handy search engine to help you find what you’re looking for.

SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY

Winner of the Best SciFi Novel of 2020 on the Critters Reader’s Poll.
* – A nonstop thrill ride
* – Fascinating and terrifying
* – The best damn thing I’ve ever read
* – The Desert Eagle seems like overkill for a close shot, but I have no complaints
* – I’m buying popcorn now for when this hits the big screen

The Brittle Riders Series or its Omnibus Edition

* – Some of the best world building I’ve ever encountered
* – It sympathetically manages to bridge the gap between faith and technology
* – McCormick packs more in twelve words than others do in twelve paragraphs
* – Fuck McCormick, he made me cry when a cockroach died
* – When I hit book three I surrendered. I had no clue what was going to happen, but I needed to find out

Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek

* – There’s a horny squid and nukes. What more could I ask for?
* – I never considered giving my spouse a year’s worth of meat for our anniversary
* – Okay, wow, did not see this villain coming
* – Relentless and riveting
* – He’s always been LGBTQIA+ friendly, but this subtly raises the bar and I, for one, am thrilled

If I’ve written something you liked, you can always leave a review on my GoodReads page. You can also post questions, check out my suggestions, and have more fun than you might imagine.

Until next week, please stay safe, sane, and inside as much as possible. I’ve grown kind of fond of you.

I’ve known Nancy Chandler, owner of Azoth Khem Publishing for almost thirty years. In that time we’ve worked on records together, arranged tour promotions for bands, compiled film soundtracks, and, now, we’re both hooked on book publishing. To be clear, I have nothing to do with the publishing end of things. I just throw letters at a screen and pray for words.

Yesterday her mother passed away after a lengthy battle with various illnesses. To add insult to injury, since Nancy is currently dealing with COVID, even though she’s on the mend, she will be unable to attend her mother’s funeral.

For those of you who don’t know her Nancy’s a fascinating woman. She’s a lifelong devotee of Trinitarian Wicca. In fact, the name Azoth Khem roughly translates to blending the sacred feminine with our earthly realm.

Nancy’s always been her own woman. When I met her she was running Delinquent Records USA. The label featured goth and glam bands. While the pairing may seem unlikely, the two genres supported each other well, even releasing a two CD set called The Pink and the Black. Chicago residents will immediately recognize the legendary Scary Lady Sarah as the cover model. Support shows for the release covered from LA to NYC and all points in between. Although it’s been twenty-three years since its release it’s still a popular compilation.

When she approached me in 2016 about submitting to Azoth Khem I jumped at the chance. While I knew almost nothing about the company I knew a lot about Nancy. And, while I have made many poor life choices, this is not one of them. Thanks to the care she puts into anything attached to her name, all of my books have won critical acclaim and SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY won the Critter’s Readers Poll as the best sci-fi book of 2020. More importantly, as far as my landlord’s concerned, major chains like Walmart in the U.S. and Waterstones in the U.K. have begun carrying my humble offerings and making them available to an unsuspecting public.

Make sure to whitelist info@mcscifibooks.com to not miss a thing.

I really don’t have much more to say. She’s a wonderful human going through some tough times. If you have a prayer to spare please send it her way. Next week I’ll dive back into the wonderful world of McSciFi. Until then stay safe, sane, inside, and wear a mask.

Stick with this since you’ll need a little history first.

There are times the internet can be a pleasant space. My pal, and yours too if your smart, Jude Matulich-Hall was putting together a promo for me on her YouTube channel and needed to confirm what was, and was not, currently in release. This is not as crazy a request as you might think. I write stuff, send it out, and eventually get a link to share so cool kids like you can buy it. Sometimes that’s ahead of the release, sometimes not.

So, I fired up Google, and found this.

Waterstones (U.K.) has added two of my titles to their collection of 283 stores. Yep, if you’re in, or at last near, the United Kingdom, you can buy SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY, which is recommended by people who liked The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I’m sure that makes sense in England. To be fair, they are both stories about young men who go on an adventure. It’s just that dear old Huck didn’t become a super villain.

You can also buy Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek. According to their site, if you like Goptri you should also like Dune. That one kind of makes sense. However, unlike Dune, the crazed zealots aren’t the heroes. They’re not even nice.

As of this writing they are not carrying The Brittle Riders. Which is odd since that trilogy is the whole reason Goptri exists. There are even a few characters, not many, who appear in both. That said, people who have only read Book 1 of Goptri seemed to have no problems. So, who knows?

As of right now, you have to order in advance to get your U.K. copies, but that was the case with Walmart when we started and now SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY, which is currently on sale, and Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek are being shelved in select stores.

When you don’t have a ton of money to throw at promo, care and patience are virtues you learn to appreciate.

Speaking of money, if you live in the U.K. and want to showcase your McSciFi Pride, all you need to do is go to my U.K. Merchandise Shop and select any of the wonderful options. All you need to do is pick the logo you like then add it to any of over one hundred items ranging from clothing to coffee cups to onesies for toddlers.

Fans of this newsletter may remember the internet ad created by my mega-fan, Jin-ah, in London when the shop first opened. If not, and God knows you’ve had other stuff to remember, just CLICK HERE to enjoy the awesomeness of it all.

More below.

I told you before how Marcie’s Marvels has been developing. Marcie’s Marvels is based on the life of a young girl named Marcie who killed herself after suffering endless bullying. Her mother decided to use her daughter’s tragedy to provide hope to others. With that in mind she started the MJG Movement as a Children’s Advocacy organization dedicated to serving as a resource for children and families that are victims of sexual abuse and suicide.

The comic itself is fun, uplifting, and eye popping. The art by Eko Prihanto is bright and friendly. The story, despite some grim themes, is warm and laced with light humor. Beta readers thoroughly enjoyed the recurring joke about how Marcie’s blind mother never hears her come in. Of course, Marcie can fly so she doesn’t create foot steps.

Right now I have limited copies you can buy. Ever since I was told my autograph might lower the resale value of one of my books, I only autograph when requested.

Yes, that really happened.

A quick reminder, this is the last week for you to enter the C. L. Cannon contest where you can win lots of legendary sci-fi novels and gear. Also, if you scroll down and click on McSciFi you increase your odds of winning. See? It is too good to know me.

That seems to be enough for now. Until next week, stay safe, sane, and get vaxxed. Oh, yeah, wear a mask. I have a couple of friends who caught “breakthrough COVID” and they aren’t happy about it. One had to cancel his participation in a national tour. So he gets to lose money and lay around in a hospital.

That’s nowhere near as fun as it sounds.