A Word On The Crimson Summer

This article features VERY LIGHT spoilers for The Crimson Summer. It doesn't give away any plot points but there are vague scenes mentioned so if you want to go in 100% fresh, stop reading after the trailer.

Purchase it here: http://amzn.to/1OuwK17

The first week of release for my debut novel, The Crimson Summer, is drawing to a close. It's been awesome to see the support from people I never expected it from and exciting to engage with those that are reading/have already read it (Yes, there are people that have already finished the book and that is absolutely mind-blowing to me).

There were a lot of people that bought Day One that I wasn't expecting to pick the book up so fast due to their lack of interest in horror. But they picked it up. Despite their lack of interest towards the genre they supported me and that means the absolute world. Speaking of support in places I wasn't expecting, I had many of my past teachers pick up copies of the book. This has both excited and terrified me given that the first chapter deals with awkward masturbation and an odd obsession with frog guts. Here's hoping they'll be able to look at me the same.

If you're reading this and you haven't picked up a copy yet, please don't feel bad. I understand how life goes and picking it up right away isn't in the cards for everybody. I had to wait to purchase a good friend of mine's book because things were rough financially at the time of release. It happens. I don't hold it against you at all. Nor do I hold it against you if you bought it and are not able to read it immediately. Again, life happens and I understand that.

With all the comments from people who are reading/finishing the book, there are some things that I'd like to address, whether it's something I had planned on talking about or something that has been brought to my attention recently, I figured now was as good of a time as any.

First of all, no character in the book is based upon myself. I know that it's hard for people to differentiate the story from me, given that my narrative is a very conversational tone, and the narrator has my voice. This has lead to several people coming up to me as saying "XXXX character is totally you." I take it as a compliment as, given that there's no one I know better than myself, I purposely used small qualities of my own for some of the leads. But please, just because you see one aspect and go "Oh that's so Tyler", that doesn't mean the other aspects of the character are representative of me. No character is myself in the same way that none of the other characters in the story are based on anyone else in my life. Traits are traits and names are names.

There's a particular debate in the film on Superheroes that people keep thinking is me venting. It's not. I used that debate simply because it was one of the most prevalent ones in the world of pop culture because of the popularity of comic book movies right now. I wanted to represent that by having two characters talk about it in a way that I've seen over and over. There are some people that don't see that particular film as bad, but those aren't my characters. This was just another way for me to really get you to know these characters without taking up too much time.

I've also been getting questions about autographs. While I would absolutely love to have an option for autographs right now, that is just not in the cards. This is only my first book and I think it's a little pompous to have an "autographed" option. If you want to get my Herbie Hancock, then you will just have to do so in person. (note: for all of you Michigan folks, I should be back to visit in August, so if you want a signed copy, I can do it then.)

I have plans to do a Q&A in a month, so that should answer anything that I haven't answered here. I didn't want to go into too many details because I know the majority of people have not reached the end yet. The Q&A will be spoiler laden and answer some of the lingering questions you may have upon reaching the final page. Not all questions will be answered as there are some things in the book that are intentionally vague but I'll do my best to expand upon the ones I can answer.

I know that this is getting old and tired but I really have to thank each and every one of you that has purchased the book. Having so much support has been amazing and really makes all the hard work worth it. I can only hope that it just keeps spreading and opens up to more and more people because as great as royalties are, the real joy is getting to talk to fans of the book. Creating a world is hard work but having people invested in it?

Worth it.

The Crimson Summer - AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Synopsis: Summers at Camp Watanka are never easy. The buildings are dilapidated and the heat can be scorching, but for the teenage campers the greatest threat of all is the social minefield they must endure. Until this Summer. When strange disappearances start occurring, the threat becomes deadly, turning the camp into a fight for survival. A fight that few will get out of alive. Told from the perspective of a different camper or counselor each chapter, follow their journey to discover the mystery behind Watanka, and whether they'll become a hero or just another victim...

I'm so excited to announce that my first novel, "The Crimson Summer", is available NOW! That's right, you can just head over to Amazon and see what I've been up to for these past two years. There's a physical version and a digital version available. It's also available at various retailers but Amazon has the best deal, so that's where I'd recommend.

BUY IT HERE!!!

This book features drug use, violence, and excessive swearing (can't really make a slasher featuring a bunch of teenagers without those) so if any of those things offend you then this book may not be for you. I still think that the journey with the characters is worth it but that's a decision to be made by you and I respect whatever you fall upon (just don't ask me for a free copy.).

I hope that you enjoy the book and please feel free to write to me and let me know what you thought. It's been a blast interacting with the people that have read it thus far and I can't wait to discuss it more. Don't forget to leave a review on Amazon, that way others can see what you thought of it as well. Most of all, I hope that you enjoy your journey to Camp Watanka as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks for all of the support,
Tyler

Random Thoughts for June 2016

The Witch is well worth the hype. I had been hearing about this film for so long on top of hearing amazing things about it, so my expectations were a tad high. But dammit if this film didn't just blow me away. The only negative things I've heard about this are people that don't understand slow paced and were expecting more of a straight up horror film. This is not it. Being more of a drama than anything, the film does some truly incredible things with the child actors and provides some of the most beautiful cinematography of any horror movie this year.

I actually enjoyed a Kevin Hart movie. I know, as impossible as it sounds, I actually found myself watching a Hart movie and didn't end up wanting to stabs my earballs. "Get Hard" is funnier than it has any right to be given how terrible the previews were for the film, but a big selling point is that Hart plays a normal person, not the exact character that he uses in his other films. Here he's the straight man and he's actually tolerable, which is very unlike any of his other roles. Sure, I still absolutely hate his Stand-up comedy with a passion, but hey, at least I can tolerate his movies a little bit now. Baby steps, people.

Have you heard of the game Subnautica? Because if you haven't then I highly suggest you change that as soon as possible. It's an exploration/survival game set on an alien world that is (almost) completely covered in water. As someone that's terrified of the ocean, the idea of this game sent chills down my spine. The idea of being out in the middle of open water is one of my greatest fears Speaking of scary water...

"The Shallows" looks like a whole lot of NOPE. If you know me, then you know that I have an irrational fear of the water and of sharks. I watched the trailer and, while I thought it looked dumb, I didn't really think anything of it. Then the shark appeared and we got to see a look at a super aggressive beast that made me want to move even further away from the ocean. I can deal with normal, regular speed sharks. But Hollywood Sharks that move with such power and ferocity turn my trips to any body of water into a nightmare. So as much as I love me some

I have book news. But I can't really tell you about it. I'm stuck in this weird spot where as much as I want to talk about it, I also don't want to ruin the surprise I have planned. All I will say is: make sure you tune into the site this Monday, the 13th. You may be in for a surprise...

Why The "Last Man on Earth" Concept Always Seems To Fail

It's a concept we're all familiar with: What if something happened and you were the last person left on earth. While usually the culprit is some deadly virus turning people into zombies/vampire things (I Am Legend), sometimes it just goes unexplained (The Last Man On Earth) So in the latest trend of "Try absolutely everything out on TV that we possibly can," Fox decided to create a comedy series on the subject.

And it failed. Miserably.

Sure, the pilot episode of Last Man on Earth had a lot of potential, and I see why the Network decided to pick it up. Will Forte is charming and one of very few people who could I could watch in a TV show where he's just talking to himself. But it quickly decided that it couldn't keep with that concept for long and, before the end of the first episode, we were treated to him coming in contact with another human being. See where the problem starts? It quickly showed, yet again, that the whole concept of the show is absolutely false. He is not the last man on earth. It makes everything seem completely pointless as he thinks that he is and draws so many plotholes.

As more and more characters get introduced to the show, the more plot-holes it has. How is it that Forte traveled across the country, even into Mexico and Canada, and couldn't find a single living soul? Don't you think that he would have at least seen signs of life if someone was still alive? And given how long it would have taken him to traverse North America, you'd think someone would have seen the signs for "Alive in Tuscon" and been there long before he came back. We are accepting of it because we are told explicitly with the main title card that Will Forte is in fact, the last man alive. So taking that away takes away that trust. It just doesn't make any sense. And this is really the main problem with this show and movies like it: the viewer is lied to right from the get-go. Our lead is not the last man on earth.

Why is it we have the need to label something as such, when it doesn't carry through on that promise so quickly? Do the people who make these think that we would just get bored by one character even though that's the sole premise that it's marketed as? I think it has more to do with laziness. It's hard to create content for just one person, unable to interact with/play off of someone else so often the solution is to simply bring in other characters. I'd say it fails miserably for the most part and that's because it goes against the DNA from which the idea flourished.

NOT the book, I Am Legend.

Look at I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. This is often considered the ultimate "Last Man on Earth" story and with good reason. It lives up to its name. In this, we are met with the realization towards the end that he is in fact the last person alive and he will be a legend for that fact. There isn't another man in the entirety of the story and therefore lives up to its namesake; a rarity among these types of films.

Even the Will Smith starring I Am Legend fails to even capitalize on the concept, despite the source material being ripe for the taking. All they had to do was follow the story (modernizing it since it's 50+ years after the novel was published) and the payoff we all wanted would be there. Instead, they decided that they needed to throw the concept out the window and give us what amounts to just another action film with the same tired ending. It's a pity given how revolutionary it could have been.

There is still one thing that could save these types of movies, (in particular the TV show, TLMOE) and this is one that I hope others follow: just stick to the concept. If the show is about the last man on earth, then make sure he's the last fucking man on earth. Don't add a love interest and all these other people because of laziness. Think of conflicts that someone living by themselves would be faced with and create that story. The story that YOUR PREMISE dictates.

Please?

What Happened To Etiquette?

Facebook has become the bane of my existence. Outside of the extremely useful tool of keeping in touch with friends regardless of distance, I am being inundated with useless just that is nothing more than a gigantic advertisement. But my biggest fault with Facebook comes with the users themselves and their complete disregard towards what is being put onto their feed. No matter if it's something appropriate or not, they must get that stream of consciousness out into their status or else the whole world may implode around them. Because I just couldn't go on living if I couldn't discuss Jon Snow's death with all of my friends online, the moment it happens.

I think you see where I'm going with this...

There used to be a certain etiquette when it came to spoilers that has been completely thrown out the window in recent years. With the popularity of shows like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, both featuring a shocking twist almost every episode, it's easy to see why this would be the case: more people are watching it and therefore more people are wanting to talk about it.

Unfortunately, we live in such an "instant gratification" society that people are looking to discuss the shows the moment that they are off the air. There is no longer any kind of grace period. It is simply expected that we stay off the internet. There's one problem with that: People have lives.

Not everyone is able to throw down what they're doing in order to watch their favorite TV shows ever week. Life gets in the way and makes the impossible for some people. So why is it that we're punishing those hardworking individuals?

Just look at Television ratings if you think I'm just being crazy. The days of sitting around the TV at an assigned time are over (if it's not a live event, of course) because on-demand is an option no matter where we look. Younger generations don't even understand the concept of not being to watch a television show in exact order, let alone what it means to have to sit down for a show or else they'd miss it. No, we live in an age where we can watch whatever we want, whenever we want to. So why have our manners gone out the window in regards to spoilers?

To be completely honest, I hope that standard TV goes the way of the dinosaurs and we are left with only Netflix/Hulu alternatives. Because if my Facebook timeline is any indication, these streaming shows are still subject to spoiler etiquette and I'm being continuously turned off by shows that aren't.

The real question now is, how long will it last?

What Ever Happened To The Amazing Spider-man?

We live in a pretty amazing time when it comes to companies working together that you never thought would. Microsoft has stated they would like to have cross-play with Sony, WWE is working with the UFC, and Sony is working with Marvel for Spider-man. All of these are exciting, but as a lifelong Spider-man fan, that's the one that excites me the most. After having set up a tremendous Cinematic Universe, Marvel has done the impossible with bringing in a character that all thought would be lost to whatever strange world Sony made for him.

You know, like that other series.

What? You're not sure what I'm talking about? Are we simply going to forget that these films even existed? It's not as crazy of a question as you may think. Even now in the year 2016, only three years removed from the second film, its existence is practically nonexistent. People have already moved onto Tom Holland and when referring to a different Spider-man, it's Tobey Mcguire. People are quickly trying to forget that Garfield ever donned the webbed spandex.

It's too bad as there is a lot of good stuff in the Amazing Spider-man series. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to defend these films. If you dislike them then your points are probably valid, just like much of the criticisms levied against the films. I can understand what people see as bad in them but I never can. No matter what dumb things they managed to cook up for Spider-man to do, it was still Spider-man in New York and that's really all this Spidey fan needed.

For as many faults as it has, one thing that it gets right is the relationship between Gwen and Peter. The chemistry between the actors is palpable and makes it so, no matter what the act is, you can imagine them doing it for each other. That is a far cry from the relationship between Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane and Tobey's Peter Parker that can only be described as flat. I don't really get caught up in on-screen romances but Gwen and Peter is one that gets me every time.

An argument or two could be made that Marc Webb doesn't quite understand what an action film entails much less a Spider-man film, which only Sam Raimi has come to nailing (although that looks to change with Homecoming), he really can build to an emotional moment. If you allow yourself to get lost in it, Gwen's death is one of the greatest character deaths in any film. Yeah, I said it. While the history behind her death transcends the scene, it's still a feat to have nailed it in such a pivotal way. While many people didn't like the film, few had a bad thing to say about that scene.

The greatest sin that the films commit are too much setup. The first one tries to reintroduce us to a story that we already know intimately, while taking subversions that just seem silly. This leaves the audience just waiting for Spider-man to show up and for us to finally get the movie we came to see. Then the second one is simply setting up two more films. While there is a lot that I enjoy in the movie, it's hard to ignore just how pompous the studio was in just assuming they could create an overstuffed movie that didn't make sense but would "pay off later" for the audience. It didn't work and is the whole reason we're in this situation to begin with.

But don't get me wrong. it's not a bad one to be in. While I did enjoy the movies, it's not the Spider-man that I always wanted to see on the Big Screen. When I see Tom Holland swing onto camera in Captain America: Civil War, it's hard not to act like a little kid inside. He nails the part and there's no controversy with the casting (a first for the Spider-man films). Which is why it's so much easier to move on: everything seems to be going so right that the mistakes just kind of get forgotten and left by the way side.

It's going to be weird in ten years because when someone mentions Spider-man, there are going to be a lot of people who don't even know what the Amazing Spider-man films are. It's going to seem like some distant memory as we're into our third or fourth Spidey film post-merger and it's a damn shame because there's a whole world that we never got to see realized. There was so much set up and intriguing aspects from a company with too big of a hubris and I'm left wondering what could have been.

It's kind of amazing isn't it?

PC Society

NOTE: Apologies for the lack of content lately. Something happened with Blogger and I haven't had access to my account for almost two weeks. I was working on something important and wasn't able to get it sorted out with Customer Support until today. To make up for it, I'll be releasing a new article every single day this week! Again, apologies for the delay.

Every day it seems as though I'm waking up to a new headline where someone is being offended about something entirely ridiculous. Recently, a lot of it involved Captain America and I couldn't help but shake my head at the nonsense being spewed out. For those not aware, Captain America was recently revealed to be secretly working for Hydra all along. Then, after an online campaign on #GetElsaAGirlfriend, those same do-gooders decided that Captain America NEEDED a boyfriend.

Yeah.

I'm not sure when our society decided we needed to alter our past in order to better represent our present but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. People are constantly trying to make huge alterations to characters that have largely been established for 50+ years, all to try and suit some status quo that most people fight against. The vocal minority in our society has taken up the podium in a way that we've never seen before. We even have one of those types of people running for President right now! (hint: that's not a good thing.)

So let me ask you, if there is a very famous gay character and suddenly people started say "They NEED to be straight" is the reaction anything other than fuck off? Yet when the roles are reversed, suddenly the LGBT community gets up in arms about this (and rightfully so). This kind of hypocricy is all too present in our society these days. People are so often up in arms about something that, when the roles are reversed, they couldn't be further against.

What we need isn't characters that have been established for so long, suddenly being changed at their core to meet some kind of societal pressure. No, what we need is brand new characters being created that represent today's values. Captain America was made in a time of homebred America values and represents those WW2 vets that gave up everything to save us from tyranny. Why can't we have a character created these days that fits more in line with the present?

Seems to me like more laziness on part of the people that are wanting to facilitate these changes. Sure, they want LGBT to represented in comics but they don't want to go through the hard work of making a character popular and growing them. No, they just want to take characters that have already been built and had years of hardwork put into them, changed to fit their own desirable traits. If you want LGBT characters to be represented in ANY medium then there's a very important first step:

Create them.