Issue 269: Writing is Tough, Man
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Two old fashioneds and three whiskeys in, I’m not even sure “Writing is tough, man” is exactly what I said. I absolutely don’t remember the context of the conversation. The sentiment was there, though, as was the catalyst for the statement. I was chatting, while sitting around a fire pit and sipping the aforementioned libations, with a friend and his son. Whatever prompted this proclamation is lost to the darkness, but it felt right in the moment, and it still feels right now.
For some reason—and this I remember clearly—I told them I’d title this issue of the newsletter after the conversation.
My guess is we were talking about the footage Yellow Bike Films shot this week (in a creepy, haunted wharehouse) for The Cullenoscopy.
Do I look like I’m about to die from heat exhaustion? Because… I was. That old, haunted building was sweltering. I would have thought the ghosts would cool the place down, but they absolutely did not.
I saw no apparitions that night, not even at the height of my delirium, although I did encounter one strange character.
Early in the shoot, the crew and I stepped outside to enjoy some of the cool night air. As we stood in the parking lot, I looked out across the nearby expressway. A man was jogging along, crossing the busy road without a care. We wore only tattered cut-off jeans. His blonde hair was worn in dreadlocks. His running companion was a pit bull. The pair darted across the highway, across an unkempt field, and across the warehouse parking lot.
As he passed, he called out, “Hey, do you guys got any bread?”
I checked my pockets, and told him I didn’t have anything on me.
He gave me a weird look and continued on his way. He jogged over to a nearby house, knocking on the door and peering over the privacy fence. Getting no answer, he moved on to the next house and repeated the process. Soon, he had vanished into the depths of the neighborhood adjacent to the warehouse.
“What do you think he was knocking on doors for?” I asked.
“Probably hoping he could snag some bread,” said Chris from Yellow Bike.
“You know he was asking for money.” I chuckled. “You know. ‘Bread’? That means money.”
“You’re kidding, right?” said Chris. “Didn’t you see what he had in his hand? He was carrying maybe a pound’s worth of loose bologna.”
Questions abound.
And I’m sure that dude is gonna find his way into one of my stories very soon.
Anyhow… writing is tough… I almost sweated myself to death… and I’ve finished recording four episodes of The Cullenoscopy, and we’re editing them together right now.
Each episode will have a guest host (or hosts) and will focus on a different topic. The first four episodes will be:
Horror in Comics (with guest host Rebekah McKendry)
Vampires (with guest host John Avina)
Cosmic Horror (with Dennis Hopeless and Kyle Strahm)
Horror Hosts (with Dennis Hopeless and Kyle Strahm)
I’m excited for you to see what you think!
To make sure you don’t miss out, why not go ahead and subscribe to the YouTube channel?
Today we debut a new feature! GIFS I have used in text conversations this week to discuss all the dumb shit going on in my life. Make of these images what you will.
The team at AWA have launched the Kickstarter of ULTIMATE OZ UNIVERSE, VOL. 1: THE LOST LANDS, which I wrote. This is for the collector’s edition of the book, and it really does look gorgeous. This limited 144+ page hardcover collectible’s edition is your gateway to a rarely-explored side of OZ — one oozing with whimsical magic, much like the story we all know and love, but bringing about the more mysterious secrets long buried in the sands of time.
There also a ton of other cool items in the mix, so I hope you’ll check it out!
And… speaking of Kickstarters, a couple I did with Outland Entertainment were delayed for a little bit (thanks to some unexpected costs on some of Outland’s other projects) but I’m happy to say that just yesterday I received the copies of THE FARAWAY and TRIPLE THREAT OF TERROR that I’m supposed to sign and bloody. Those will get taken care of today and tomorrow, and then they’ll be heading out to our fulfillment center!
Once again…
From this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth.
I don’t think I mentioned this before, but the trade paperback for THE HEXILES got a nice write-up in Kirkus Reviews. The book, by the way, comes out in early June. You can pre-order it right now!
Over on CULLEN BUNN’S MONSTER CLUB, a group of readers have formed a book club for THE SIXTH GUN. If you’re a fan of the title, you should check that out and join in the conversation. It’s been fun for me and has reminded me of some elements of the story that I had forgotten. This week, the discussion has focused on DUST TO DEATH and VALLEY OF DEATH.
This week has been kind of hectic for me. There have been concerts and recitals and my son’s birthday and convention meetings and school trip meetings and filming sessions and doctor’s appointments aplenty. Cindy called it “the gauntlet”. Thanks to the gauntlet, my free time has been limited.
I continue to watch SURVIVOR, which I’ve loved this season. The season finale is rapidly approaching, and I’ll be sad when its gone.
I’ve been re-watching the PUPPET MASTER movies as my fall-to-sleep films.
I’ve been drawing on sketch cards lately. Not sure if I’ve mentioned that before or not. I’ve been trying to draw one sketch card a day, just as something to entertain my brain. I’m not very good, but I will likely share the images at some point.
Here’s a quick rundown of convention appearances, signings, and other events. Keep in mind, all appearances are subject to changes and cancellations.
May 30 - June 1 - Tremendicon, Springfield MO
June 21 - Route 66 Toy and Comic Convention, Lebanon MO
LINKTREE - Links! Links! Links! This will get you everywhere worth visiting!
PATREON - Here, I post a serialized novel, a serialized comic book, short stories, and other cool materials.
THE CULLEN BUNN DISCORD SERVER - A place for fans to hang out and talk about comics, books, movies, games, collecting, and whatever else strikes their fancy.
MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE - Listen. You should always shop at your local comic and bookstore first, but if they don’t carry the books you want, you might be able to get them here. And, if nothing else, leave some reviews of the books you love!
You gotta have Phil on the podcast!