Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Let's Get Physical!

 

Hi.

 

It’s been a while since I wrote a blog entry. I’ve missed you guys!

 

Today’s blog isn’t about writing per se…I’m writing about physical media.

 

You know what physical media is – CDs, Vinyl, DVDs, Blu-rays, 4K Blu-rays, books. Many of you, with the advent of streaming, book subscription services, etc., have given up and given away your physical media.

 

I hate to tell you, but that was a mistake.

 

I’ve been there, of course. With Amazon Prime and Netflix, I was convinced that I would always be able to find a movie or TV show online that I wanted to watch, so I sold off my massive DVD/Blu-ray collection.

 

After that, I discovered that these streaming companies sometimes stop streaming some titles after a while. Their license expires, or a company, writer, or musical artist decides that they no longer want to offer their product through a streaming service…and you can’t find it anywhere else.

 

Netflix stopped streaming “The X-Files”, which is one of my favorite shows. I originally had the series on DVD before I sold everything. When Netflix stopped offering Mulder and Scully, I had to re-purchase the entire series! But, this time, it was on Blu-ray, and I loved rewatching the series.

 

Paramount Plus is streaming new Star Trek shows – “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Star Trek: Picard” right now. But, having learned my lesson about streaming services, I have purchased the first three seasons of “Discover”, and the first season of “Picard”. I have no intention of being without access to my favorite shows and movies.

 

As a big classic comedy fan, I have complete collections of the movies of Abbott & Costello, the Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, and I’m working on completing my W. C. Fields collection. You just can’t find most of those on any streaming platform.

 

Music? If you depend on Spotify, an artist can usually pull their music from that service anytime. If you have a CD or a vinyl copy, you can enjoy that music anytime.

 

And ebooks? Did you realize that you don’t purchase the books when you buy? You buy only the license for that ebook. Licenses expire, and authors and publishers pull the plug on books all the time. If you have a print copy, you can re-read that story anytime.

 

So, the moral of this blog post is this: If you enjoy listening, re-reading, or re-watching, keep your physical copies! You can’t always count on finding it at any streaming platform or subscription service!

 

And remember…Keep reading!

 

T. M. Bilderback (but YOU can call me Michael)

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Why aren't you writing?

 

I love movies.

I love animation and cartoons.

I love music.

These three things have influenced my writing to a degree that the casual reader will never understand.

Most of the titles of my works are named after songs. Usually, at some point in the novel or short story or novella, the part of the song that influenced the story is described as a happening to the point that those familiar with the song will understand the reference. The titles of some upcoming works may not be classic hits, but album cuts that still inspire a story.

The movies? Oh, yeah. That influences my work, too. Remember the scene in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom where Indy uses an inflatable life raft to exit a crashing plane? I adapted that scene and used it in my Justice Security book, Jim Dandy. I even gave credit where credit was due with an stray thought in Joey Justice’s head that it worked for Harrison Ford in that movie, so why wouldn’t it work in the situation that Joey finds himself in?

One reviewer of Mama Told Me Not To Come made a comment that he thought was an insult. I found it to be inspiring, and I took it to heart immediately. The reviewer stated that the novel read like the script to an action movie.

To that person, I will always owe a great big “Thank you”. What he thought was a derogatory statement toward the writing, was actually a compliment. I had deliberately written the story that way, with cuts from one character to another in rapid succession to give the reader a glimpse of things that are occurring simultaneously!

How do cartoons and animation come into my writing?

Read my short story Saturday In The Park. That one gives you the scoop with another improbable possibility, with a character even saying that the event was straight out of a Road Runner cartoon.

Inspiration comes from everywhere. The writer’s job is to take that inspiration and tell an entertaining story, with just enough description of things to allow the reader’s imagination to picture it in their minds.

We are picture painters. We use words instead of paint brushes. And we are still artists, because we paint pictures with words.

My question to those of you that always say that you want to be writers is simple.

Why aren’t you writing?

T. M. Bilderback (but YOU can call me Michael)

Friday, March 20, 2020

Previews Of Coming Attractions


Have you been out of touch of the Justice Security world for a while?  Let me fill you in:

The last published Justice Security story, Hell’s Bells, saw the loss a member of Justice Security during the trip to Hell, and almost saw the end of Madeline, Nicholas Turner’s half-angel daughter.  That was in 2017.

In 2018, in the last published Sardis County story, I’m Your Boogie Man, we saw that Justice Security is building a new home in Sardis County, almost identical to the one in the city.  Nicholas Turner is moving his family to Sardis County as a partner of Justice Security.  Nicholas, Jim Dandy, Patty Ferguson, Brandon King, and Snickers are all new resident of Perry, the county seat in Sardis County.

Of course, that means Madeline is going, too.

If you remember, Madeline has forgotten how to access her “angel” side, so she’s growing as a regular, mortal girl.

Now, what’s coming up:

The next Justice Security novel, Black Dog, is complete, and will see publication later this year.  Black Dog takes place soon after the events of Hell’s Bells and I’m Your Boogie Man.  There will be changes in personnel, and a tidying-up of an old case.  But, the story is set mostly inside the Justice Security building…a kind of “day-to-day” preview of life there.

Following Black Dog will be Lido Shuffle.  Lido Shuffle will tell the story of Lido Bouvier, a Cajun assassin-for-hire with a contract to take out Joey Justice, along with his Chicago acquaintances, Lieutenant Michelle “Mickey” Rooney, Detective Sam Tanner, and private investigator Manny Ramirez.  Instead of travelling to Chicago, Mickey Rooney and her gang come to Justice Security, with lots of explosive action.

The book after Lido Shuffle will be a Sardis County novel, Werewolves Of London.  All you need to know is that Madeline arrives in Perry, and meets up with Mary Smalls and Carol Grace Montgomery, along with the Sardis witches.  Does Madeline regain her memory?  And what are the werewolves of London?  Tune in for more…

So, there it is:  a “previously in Justice Security” and a “previously in Sardis County” refreshers, and a “coming attractions” preview of the next three books.

Whew.

Keep reading!

T. M. Bilderback (but you can call me Michael)

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Bonkers From Quarantine

Are you finding it hard to concentrate on reading?  Or on watching a movie?

Are you going bonkers in quarantine?

I get it.  I really get it.

Not everyone is like me.  I like being at home.  I enjoy reading, writing, and watching movies.

What are some things you can do while you’re keeping safe?

1   1.      Exercise. (LOLOLOL)
2   2.      If the weather permits, go outside.  Walk around.  Just keep your distance from others, okay?
3   3.      Plant a garden.
4   4.      Throw rocks into lakes and rivers.
5   5.      Instead of chasing them away, try feeding wildlife, like squirrels.  If you show enough         patience, eventually you will be trusted by the wild animal…and you may be able to touch or pet it.

Now, for the more introverted (like me):

1   1.      Read.  (Especially my stories – they’re at Amazon, in Kindle Unlimited)
2   2.      Write.
3   3.      Enjoy a long hot bath or shower.  No need to stink while you’re quarantined.
4   4.      Play with your children.  Or grandchildren.
5   5.      Play with your pets.
6   6.      Try that recipe that you’ve been wanting to try.
7   7.      Binge watch that TV show you’ve been wanting to watch.

There are lots of things you can do to keep yourself occupied.
But, most of all, stay safe and keep reading!

T. M. Bilderback (But you can call me Michael)