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The Big Twitter Pitch Contest (A Publishing Update), Upcoming Podcast Stuff, & Whatever Else I Wanna Talk About!
Let’s start with the Twitter stuff, since I put it first in the title.
Twitter Story Pitch Contest…
#pitmad is what the cool kids call it. And the uncool adults. Like me. Anyway, it’s this Twitter thing for writers that happens quarterly. (That’s once every 3 months, dumb-dumb.) Basically everyone who ever wrote a book–no matter how good or awful–wants to get a literary agent, so they all pitch their manuscripts on a tweet and see what happens. More or less. Mine looked like this:
I got some retweets (which is what you want), but no likes from agents (which is what you really want). I spent too much time on my phone yesterday because of it. Lost time I’ll never get back. That’s kind of how I feel about it at this moment, having not gotten the interest I was hoping for.
It’s part of being a writer–the rejection–but it still sucks. Not like a kick in the gut, but like when you’re a kid and you keep asking if you’re there yet. That’s how I feel. The book is done, actual writers have read it and said, “You gotta try to get this published.” But, so far, to no avail. So I’m a little salty, I guess.
Now, if I had gotten an offer, or at least someone’s attention, sure, I’d be like, “It was awesome, guys!” But that’s not what happened. And that’s fine. Everyone’s path is different, and all that shit.
If You’d Like to Read My Book…
Moving forward, if anyone reading this would like to read my manuscript, I can email you a word.doc or Drive link, or whatever. I’d like more people I don’t know (IRL) to read it, ya know? Get feedback from someone you don’t have to carpool with and have that uncomfortable moment:
“Did you read my book?”
“Oh…yeah.”
“What did you think?”
“It was…very…uh…imaginative.”
HAHAHAHAHA! You can simply say, “Wasn’t for me, homie,” and I will not be offended. You can give me simple feedback, or notes on character development/authenticity, plot holes, or anything that makes you go, I’m not sure what you’re trying to do here….
There’s a (slightly) better description of my book Switchers on my website. If you want to read all, or even some–I’ll take notes on the first few pages, for sure!!!–then email me and I’ll be happy to reply with as much of it as you’d like to read. No commitments. If you don’t end up reading it, you don’t have to worry about angry follow ups from me. I’m happy when someone reads it, I don’t really care too much if they don’t–for whatever reason.
OK, I’m done with that.
Podcast Stuff from the Host of Creative Ops (AKA: Me!)
If you listen to Creative Ops then, first of all: Thank You.
If you don’t, then all you really need to know is that it’s a podcast for creative people, by creative people. I talked to an award winning cannabis farmer, an Academy Award winning visual effects artist, musicians, novelists, painters, a festival organizer, business owners, and more.
Check out my new sponsor: IRIE Kitchen!
Upcoming Guests:
- Surf Magazine veteran photographer/cinematographer
- A metal drummer who played in a Final Fantasy tribute band
- A professional painter/enterprenuer
- The poet laureate of Grand Rapids, MI
- a few others who I’ll mention as we get closer to the summer!
Here’s the last few episodes:
Goodbye, folks! (For now…) – Creative Ops
Find me, Christopher Tallon, slinging my novel Switchers in-person the next few weekends:
September 8 & 9, 5p-11p, After Dark Art Market, Canal Park in Grand Rapids, MI (shout out to Lions & Rabbits Center for the Arts for the event)
September 16, 10a-1p, Author's Alley, Hyne Alley, Brighton, MI (thank you to 2 Dandelions Bookshop for the opportunity)
. . .
Goodbye, folks! (For now…)
I'm not "ending" the show. Let's be clear there. I just need to free up time. I'm in the middle of writing another novel and I still have yet to record the audiobook for my first novel. So I'm going to be doing those two things mainly in the time previously spent booking, recording, editing, and promoting the podcast.
HUGE THANKS to all the listeners who got a copy of my debut novel Switchers. You guys are amazing, creative, supportive people. I appreciate you very much. For the first few months, you were the only audience I had. I hope you'll stay subscribed so we can catch up when the show returns. And I might do an episode here or there while on hiatus. There are people and things I still want to talk to and/or about. And I'll probably use the podcast to give updates on the new book as it progresses and whatnot.
Stay creative. Thanks for listening. I'll talk to you again.
Your friend in creativity,
Christopher Tallon
- Goodbye, folks! (For now…)
- Ep.104 | Tara McCrackin – ”Crisis President” of Kendall College of Art & Design
- Ep.103 | Adam Truckey (AJT Design) – A Figure-It-Out Mindset
- Ep.102 | ART & CANNABIS – The July Pharmhouse Wellness Art Market 2023
- Ep.101 | Trohpy Husbands – new music video! (”PINK”)
- Ep.100 | Dr. Lester Efianayi – Eyes, Athletics, & Diversity in Medicine
- Ep.99 | Trino – Magic in the Golden Age of Entertainment!
- Ep.98 | Abbey Hunter – Death & Coffee
- Ep.97 | Jason Tieri – Podcaster Extraordinaire
- Creative Ops FM
Random…
A Tale of Two Coffee Shops
I went to two different coffee shops last week. The End.
Kiddiiiiiinnng…. The first one was a local shop. I went in, talked to the manager, and found out: he’s super creative. He makes animations, sculpts, makes woodcuts. And he’s planning on quitting his job soon to do creative shit full time. So. Cool. Makes me glad to see people gettin it! Gives me hope too, I suppose.
I went into a different coffee shop (a big chain…) and had a different experience. I ordered a coffee (duh) and tried to pay with a $100 bill. Why? Because I’m a baller, my life is dope, and I do dope shit. That’s why. Ahem…
So I hand it out and she says, “We don’t take anything over $20.”
So apparently, corporate coffee doesn’t accept American money. I thought, Must be so they have to keep less change on hand, so I asked, Why the policy?
“Someone ripped off one of the stores with a fake-hundred once, so now we don’t take them.”
Apparently no one told them people counterfeit smaller bills too.
Dumb.
I’m Smarter Than My Dad!
He’s always been a smart cookie, my dad. To the point that it was sometimes frustrating to stay in a conversation with him. But now that he’s in his 70s, we have conversation bits like this:
“I got a new sponsor for the podcast, dad.”
“Who is it?”
“IRIE Kitchen. They make organic Caribbean street food.”
“Like what?”
“They had a fried fish sandwich special last weekend.”
“I don’t think of seafood when I think Caribbean food. But I guess those island are close to water.”
Yes, dad. Islands are usually close to water. Glad to see you’re staying sharp.
(Don’t worry, he won’t read this, LOL. (And he’s doing fine.))
Abbity-abbity-abbity…That’s All, Folks
Little old school Looney Tunes throwback.
That’s it, kiddies! I got blogs to write so I can get money for coffee. Speaking of which, if you’d like to support my writing and/or podcasting, I need drink money. Buy me a coffee?
Let me know if you wanna read my book. If you like the podcast, rate it and share it with a super hip, cool friend, maaaaaan.
Later!
-CT
Christopher Tallon writes, podcasts, and…wait a second. Are you actually reading this? High five! Follow me here: