Bill McSciFi's Blog

This is the McNew.

I have made a nice niche for myself by writing for other people’s projects. Sometimes they are fleshed out and just need me to assemble them and others have the barest of notions. I have no preference either way so I tend to be easy to work with.

That being said, sometimes a project comes along that leaves me breathless.

A woman named Elizabeth Gerald contacted me and told me the story she wanted to tell. It was tough to hear. Even tougher to write. Her teenage daughter, Marcie, had taken her life after being bullied and abused incessantly. However, out of that tragedy, she wanted to share something positive for other girls facing similar dilemmas.

After some back and forth, I drafted the first script. The hero would be a super-powered young girl named Marcie. She would scour her city looking for girls being harassed or abused and rescue them. She would also, and always, let them know none of this was their fault.

The story, unlike much of my other work, is aimed squarely at teenage girls. It will, despite the darker themes we’ll be exploring, have humor and hope in every issue.

There is a coloring book, designed by a young woman who went through similar issues, and a comic book which is currently being brought to life by the wildly talented Eko Prihanto.

I imagine you’ll be able to snag copies by the time you’re reading my next newsletter.

More below

This is the McOld

While I like a good mystery as much as the next Columbo, there are times I wish things were less opaque. Case in point, my relationship with Walmart. Follow along as this gets fun.

You can buy SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY on their website. In fact, it’s currently on sale as part of a larger promotion. If you’ve been dilly dallying now would be a good time to click THIS LINK and get your copy for under $10.00.

YAY!

While you’re online you can also buy Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek and have it delivered in two days. So that’s nice.

In fact, the nice people at Azoth Khem are seeing more and more of their titles added to Walmart’s catalog. This is good news.

But …

You knew there was a “but,” didn’t you?

Just to keep things interesting, they’re carrying The Brittle Riders too, but only in select stores. But, because God is a whimsical pixie, we have no way of finding out which ones. Which means you can go to Walmart online and buy the book related to The Brittle Riders but not The Brittle Riders itself.

However you can walk into a rural Walmart, those are the only ones that seem to be carrying it based on notifications from fans who’ve seen it, and pick up a copy, read it, and then go get Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek delivered.

Not to fear, you need not miss a thing. You can still order The Brittle Riders online. CLICK HERE to get your copy. Just not from Walmart.

For the record, no one is upset by these events. Just amused. It gives us something to talk about around the water cooler.

Or the vodka bowl. Whatever the case may be.

Until next time, stay safe and sane and wear a freaking mask. I’ve buried enough friends, I have no desire to add any of you to that list.

This is the McNew.

I have made a nice niche for myself by writing for other people’s projects. Sometimes they are fleshed out and just need me to assemble them and others have the barest of notions. I have no preference either way so I tend to be easy to work with.

That being said, sometimes a project comes along that leaves me breathless.

A woman named Elizabeth Gerald contacted me and told me the story she wanted to tell. It was tough to hear. Even tougher to write. Her teenage daughter, Marcie, had taken her life after being bullied and abused incessantly. However, out of that tragedy, she wanted to share something positive for other girls facing similar dilemmas.

After some back and forth, I drafted the first script. The hero would be a super-powered young girl named Marcie. She would scour her city looking for girls being harassed or abused and rescue them. She would also, and always, let them know none of this was their fault.

The story, unlike much of my other work, is aimed squarely at teenage girls. It will, despite the darker themes we’ll be exploring, have humor and hope in every issue.

There is a coloring book, designed by a young woman who went through similar issues, and a comic book which is currently being brought to life by the wildly talented Eko Prihanto.

I imagine you’ll be able to snag copies by the time you’re reading my next newsletter.

More below

This is the McOld

While I like a good mystery as much as the next Columbo, there are times I wish things were less opaque. Case in point, my relationship with Walmart. Follow along as this gets fun.

You can buy SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY on their website. In fact, it’s currently on sale as part of a larger promotion. If you’ve been dilly dallying now would be a good time to click THIS LINK and get your copy for under $10.00.

YAY!

While you’re online you can also buy Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek and have it delivered in two days. So that’s nice.

In fact, the nice people at Azoth Khem are seeing more and more of their titles added to Walmart’s catalog. This is good news.

But …

You knew there was a “but,” didn’t you?

Just to keep things interesting, they’re carrying The Brittle Riders too, but only in select stores. But, because God is a whimsical pixie, we have no way of finding out which ones. Which means you can go to Walmart online and buy the book related to The Brittle Riders but not The Brittle Riders itself.

However you can walk into a rural Walmart, those are the only ones that seem to be carrying it based on notifications from fans who’ve seen it, and pick up a copy, read it, and then go get Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek delivered.

Not to fear, you need not miss a thing. You can still order The Brittle Riders online. CLICK HERE to get your copy. Just not from Walmart.

For the record, no one is upset by these events. Just amused. It gives us something to talk about around the water cooler.

Or the vodka bowl. Whatever the case may be.

Until next time, stay safe and sane and wear a freaking mask. I’ve buried enough friends, I have no desire to add any of you to that list.

Guten Morgen, as they say in Japan. Or is that Ohayogozaimasu as they say in Brazil? I may be wrong about all of them. No matter, it’s always a pleasure to see you again. Of all the people reading this newsletter you’re the best looking and smartest. I don’t want you to panic but next week Kim and I are going on a mini vacation and there will be no way to do a newsletter. It will just be us, a large dog, and a pool. If all goes well and God truly loves us, there will be alcohol as well.

I’m going to keep today’s missive brief.

I have been spending the last week or so updating some of my social media pages, ones I tend to neglect, and working on a couple new projects. Let’s take them in reverse order.

I’m once again leaping into the abyss with the legendary Cyril Brown to work on a new dimension of the Hybrid Zero Multiverse. This time our broken brains are creating an intergalactic, pansexual, rock band that may, or may not, alter the paths of governments and bring down despots. No matter what, they make some pretty cool music. So, make sure your boss isn’t around, and CLICK HERE to meet The Neutrinos. Their motto is “We were the shit they scraped off their shoes when we arrived, but now we’re the shit. Catchy, isn’t it?

I’m also circling back to work with the infamous Ghoulbeanz. Back when she was known as “innocent little Soybean” we worked on Svarozic together. The story of a woman trapped inside a man and a god trapped inside a human has earned more fans than expected. Since it was just a character introduction you’re welcome to click the link and read the story for free. Now, just for giggles, we’re turning our jaundiced eyes on the afterlife. Specifically, those beings who shuttle us there when we shed our mortal coils. Bob: Sins of the Son is a fun look at the son of death and his quest to be a superhero in Chicago.

Most people who follow me know I try not to sully the Internet with my visage. My avatars are much cooler and make me look more human. However, thanks to the rise of Tik Tok, more and more people demand to see a face with the promotion. I’ve been dipping a toe into the shallow end, but I have been trying. If you go to my Tik Tok or YouTube pages, you will see videos of me sitting in my living room talking about stuff. Since I’m still not comfortable with this I tend to sound like I washed down ten hits of speed with a gallon of espresso. There are even some examples on my Instagram page. Although, fortunately, they are fewer in number.

Okay, you’ve endured enough trauma. Please make sure to stay safe, sane, and masked. I’ll see you in two weeks. And, yes, I can see you through your monitor. That’s how the Internet works.

Good morning fellow humans, and those of you who species identify as same. Welcome back to another edition of the McSciFi Newsletter. Or, as the cool kids like to say, “It’s like having ten gallons of amazing sauce squeezed into a five gallon bag.” I kind of wish I knew those cool kids. It would be great to hear stuff like that.

As I continue ramping back to full speed I have been doing interviews again. I will be sharing links as they go live. The first out of the box is a rollicking look into how I do what I do. Presented by the, accurately named, Awesome Gang you can CLICK HERE for a breezy trip through my squishy brain. You can leave a comment if you wish.

Until the rest show up I can share these recent classics. The lovely and fun, Jude Matulich-Hall, ran into a social media tsunami and was forced to repost every episode of Titles, Talk & Tipples. Which means, yesterday, you could have been treated to the teaser ad for my interview, the first half of my interview, the second half of the interview which, oddly enough, has been watched more than the first, and, since we were drinking vodka throughout the whole thing, we share some fun tipsy moments.

In the meantime, I thought I’d share some readers’ thoughts from various social media pages run by me and Azoth Khem Publishing. They’re kind of fun.

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 think that’s enough for now. Please keep in mind the pandemic hasn’t gone anywhere. Wear a mask in public, make sure you’re vaccinated, and feel free to share the cult of McSciFi to your fellow shut ins.

Back on June 22 I said I was going to take a little break so I could handle a few things that were dropping into my lap. Yeah, it all sounded so easy.

It was anything but.

In order, a potential client sent me a fake check for $4,000. It got caught before anything really bad happened, but that ate into my time. Then a company that was going to hire me for some background writing sent me an invoice for $10,000 worth of crap I neither needed nor wanted. As that sailed downhill rapidly I ended up involving legal authorities and blocked everyone.

Still, that wasn’t the main highlight. Nope, a minor intestinal issue I’d been suffering through decided to make itself a more prominent part of my life and I ended up in the hospital. The amazing peeps at Advocate Trinity made sure my stay was short, pleasant, and that I had a cheeseburger. I still need some more tests, but the scary stuff has been ruled out so you’re stuck with me a while longer.

I’ll have announcements on new stuff next week but, until then, here’s an unsubtle reminder that you can wander over to Azoth Khem Publishing and get your well manicured hands on my novels.

My TikTok page is only a couple of weeks old but I’m hard at work creating content that will be used to target SPLICE: HIT BIT TECHNOLOGY to the United States Military. Fully a third of the book revolves around Splice’s tour as a U.S. Marine. And, while the sample size isn’t the largest I’ve seen, vets and active troops really seem to like the book.

SPLICE is a non-stop thrill ride, taking the reader on an edge-of-your-seat experience through the military and organized crime worlds. 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!

Josh Grenard
Former Infantry Captain/Combat Veteran
U.S. Army

As those who follow closely know, I put a lot of research into my books. I talk to those who know what they’re talking about so I can sound like I do too. I don’t. I’m more like a cool parrot that can type, but it gets me where I need to be.

Many years ago, when I was first starting to assemble what would become The Brittle Riders I interviewed several people in the military. Former combat nurses gave me the best insights into the ravages of war. However, one man, a Brigadier General with the U.S.M.C., was kind enough to let me buy him drinks while he discussed common, and not so common, battle strategies. I gave him the technical abilities of my creatures and he gave me reams of information on how they could engage in combat. Of course, this was years before the book came out so he’d never read it.

Until now.

A couple days ago I got a brief email from him reminding me he was still active duty so I can’t use his name in advertising or promotion. Nevertheless, he’d just finished reading The Brittle Riders and had this to say about that.

So, if I get this, you’ve got lesbians, poly amorists, Muslims, sorry Muslim cows, giant Christian cockroaches, and so on, fighting for the betterment of all who live? I’ll never admit this publicly, but I’m glad we’ve got a president who thinks you’ve got the right idea. Great story, kept me buried in it, and I just ordered hard copies for the den. Some day you can sign them. You’re a strange guppy, but you do write like a pro. Semper Fi crazy stranger.

So, another satisfied customer.

Finally, Goptri of the Mists: Kitaab Ek is now out in paperback. Just CLICK HERE to get your copy. If you want to know about the Goptri’s universe, before busting out your credit card, I created a fun video to help you immerse your mind in its awesomeness.

One of the beta readers had nice things to say about it.

This world is our world and not. It is our future, and not. When multiple nuclear missiles can rightly be used as an example of subtle persuasion it becomes a testament to the deep, and twisted, humor that permeates this series. The fact that a gay wedding is the capstone for a bloody revolution is a perfect example of how dichotomies constantly intertwine to tie every story thread together. All in all, this is world building, and story telling, at its finest.

Sarah Z. Gallagher, PHD

Given that we’re far from done with the pandemic, please stay safe, sane, and away from strangers as much as possible. See you next week!

These last few days have been whelming, to say the least. So, rather than try to jumble something together and pretend it didn’t sound like Tuvan Throat Singing on cheap meth, I’m taking today off.

Simply put, there are too many flaming bowling balls being juggled to say this or that is definitively happening.

But, there are too many flaming bowling balls being juggled to say this or that is not happening either.

At this point, if I don’t get burned I’m calling this adventure a success.

I apologize for the vague blogging, but I don’t want to say anything until the ink is dry or the papers are thrown out. Either result gives me something to deal with so I can move forward.

I will be active on social media, as always, so you can click here to say hi. I will say hi right back. I’m evil that way.

Until next week, I bid a hearty welcome to our new readers and please, all of you, stay safe, sane, inside, and wear a mask. Don’t worry, if Mortal Kombat cosplayers who work at strip clubs can do it, so can you.

Welcome and good morning. Well, it’s morning in Chicago. God only knows what time it is near you. I say that without trying to sound all high and mighty. Last week a person in Mongolia signed up for this newsletter. How they found me is a mystery, but, thanks to Google, I now know there’s a thirteen hour time difference between us. For them, and anyone else who may think they might have missed a newsletter, or just wish to crawl through the wasteland of my mind, CLICK HERE for my blog. It contains a copy of every newsletter I’ve ever written.

As you may, or may not, be aware, we are smack dab in the middle of Pride Month. In my work with Hadithi Sambamba diversity has always been front and center. From the very first issue of Legends Parallel to the ongoing madcap multiverse that is Hybrid Zero, every project, no matter how big or small, has represented characters from all walks of life.

Here’s why that matters.

About a year after Svarozic came out I was working a con in northwest Illinois. The audience skewed much younger than was good for me, so I’d resigned myself to watching cute kids do cute cosplays and maybe eating some pizza. Then a woman showed up at my booth. She’d driven over an hour to meet me and buy Svarozic. Fun fact, you could, and can, buy it for $2.00 online plus shipping and still get it autographed. Nevertheless, she was there, I had copies, so I sold her one, autographed it, and chatted for a bit. It seems her daughter had recently come out as trans and she wanted to show her she was represented too, and not just as a token background character.

Two weeks later I got an email addressed to Mr. McSciFi. I opened it and it was from the nice woman’s daughter. And, like all conversations with teenage girls, eye rolls and OMGs were easily noted. But, she also noted how much she loved the story, how cool it was to feel as though she had a spot in the world, and how she was looking forward to more. And, as I noted two weeks ago, we are finally in negotiations to make that happen.

HAPPY PRIDE EVERYONE!

More below.

Once again I find that I have a story in the Autumn Issue of Sci-Fi Lampoon. This is my third story they’ve snagged. My humble contribution is called Fun Time at the Apocalypse a Go-Go. It’s a first person horror comedy based on a serial killer living in the land of Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica. Of course, I didn’t use those names. I have this aversion to being sued into oblivion. If you click that link you’ll be gifted with the dulcet tones that emanate from my mouth hole reading a snippet. You’ll also be gifted with some amazing pandemic hair. Not to worry, I did eventually buy a comb so now I can pretend to be adulting.

One thing I feel should be mentioned; this story has naughty words, graphic violence, and uses a cheese grater in ways you might not have considered. Proceed at your own risk.

The winter issue of Sci-Fi Lampoon has hit the streets as well. I guess they’re just clearing the decks so they can prep for the holiday season. Those Turduckens aren’t going to debone and stuff themselves.

I think that’s enough fun for one day.

Last week, due to a hiccup in the space/time continuum, last week’s e-blast got marked as SPAM and sent to everyone’s naughty folder. I do know that some companies, and colleges, have strict rules when it comes to emails and my little missive ends up in their spam folder every week. Yet, bless their souls, they keep digging them out and tagging along.

This was different. One hundred percent of my emails got marked, and I came thisclose to being banned from emailing ever again.

I’m working with all the governing parties to keep that from happening again and we have made great progress.

Anyway, if you want to read last week’s blast just click the above link and enjoy. It’s all about the three new comics I have in the pipeline. All three titles, Bob: Sins of the Son, Pestilent, and the full length version of Svarozic, will all be out this year on Hadithi Sambamba Comix.

This week I wanted to talk about something different. As some of you may know, and the rest are about to find out, I’m the assistant editor for ICC Magazine. The magazine is geared towards showcasing indie creators from many disciplines. It has featured scifi writers, comic book creators, cosplay specialists, and many more. It is the most library friendly thing I’ve ever worked on. Any library with kids interested in creating pop culture would benefit by having copies of it around. I know the library near me treasures theirs.

With that in mind I’d like to offer you, yes you and only you, the opportunity to get involved. All you need to do is CLICK HERE to advertise in the magazine itself, online, or both. ICC Magazine is a slick quarterly magazine that’s printed on glossy paper and is eye popping to look at. If you have any questions the previous link is your path to enlightenment.

Here’s a list of upcoming issues for you to consider.

Summer 2021 – July, ICC Magazine #15
Kid’s Comics, Movie Month, Free Comic Book Day

Fall 2021 – October, ICC Magazine #16
Halloween and Horror, Do-It-Yourself: How-To Make Comics Guides, Graphic Novels, Back to School!

Winter 2022 – January, ICC Magazine #17
Indie Comics Holiday Gift Guide, ICC Magazine “Big Toy Chest”

ICC Magazine also produces a Holiday Gift Guide where you can get your books or comics listed for free.

Until next week, stay safe, sane, and inside.