For the record, I wanted to go into more details about the website, and the comical situations in getting to know my first readers, but Substacks told me the article was reaching my limit.
Wow. I'm not sure when to laugh and when to cry. Most of the time, your story makes me do both. I can't even imagine some of the things you've gone through. I know kids can be cruel. But how many adults need to be complicit for that cruelty to go on and on?
Something that isn't mentioned, but I believe eluded to, is that I had a loving home life. My family was and still is, awesome. Mom and dad were exceptional parents. What happened to me once I walked out that front door, well -- that was where I wondered why the Universe hated me.
When I was in middle school -- I was in a lot of fights. They weren't ones I started. Remember me being the nerd child, and then add that cruel comment about kids. But to answer your question, there were several teachers who would wager on my fights.
Actually bet with the older teens or other teachers. You didn't run to these guys for help.
Another reason my wife and I chose homeschooling for our own little ones.
Based on your report, I went out and bought A Clean Kill in Tokyo and read it this weekend - you were right, a very tight, well written thriller! I understand he went through and updated a bit of the story from its original publication as Rain Fall back in 2002(?). That was five years after I left Japan, and just a short time after Memoirs of a Geisha was an NYT best seller. His ability to capture the feel of being a foreigner in Japan is utterly convincing. I was really transported, though I haven't really spent much time in Tokyo. It didn't matter, it had the right ambiance, the perfect amount of tension, and *so much* research that I was immersed and blew right through it. Thanks for the tip!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the book =) Barry truly is a brilliant writer. So much so, that I made a character after him in the original comic books. That character carried over into the written novels (the ones I UNpublished).
Bookworm.
I'm going to be posting some of the original comics for paid subscribers, so you'll see who I'm talking about, unless you've already seen the comics?
Wow - that was really quite something! You had to stop at #13 because of the accident? That's too bad...kind of left it at a cliffhanger, y'know. I like this version for different reasons than the novels. An older Wendell, thrown right into the war without having any time to get acclimated. We also get to see the human and gnome worlds right away. But - no romantic interest, and we are struggling right along with Wendell to understand what is going on. There is definitely an advantage to having more pages in the novel to explain things to the reader. I can't say what I would have thought had I read these without the background from Prelude, but I *think* I would have followed without much effort. And Buddy Keisler was AWESOME!!!
As for the novels and comics, there’s supposed to be a balance there in the information, with a good deal gutted, because it never belonged.
The story I want to tell is from Wendell’s own mouth and point of view. He was always a teenager...the 33 year old living in moms basement was one of my first ‘compromises’, because it made me laugh.
No other reason.
Lili and the love interest was alway critical to the story, but not told correctly...and there’s a good amount of material I never touched, because I was afraid to steer clear of the wrong path I was on.
Sounds odd, saying that out loud--but I saw SOME progress and reactions from readers. I didn’t want to go from ‘some’, to ‘none.’
For the record, I wanted to go into more details about the website, and the comical situations in getting to know my first readers, but Substacks told me the article was reaching my limit.
On to Part 3, I guess.....
Wow. I'm not sure when to laugh and when to cry. Most of the time, your story makes me do both. I can't even imagine some of the things you've gone through. I know kids can be cruel. But how many adults need to be complicit for that cruelty to go on and on?
Something that isn't mentioned, but I believe eluded to, is that I had a loving home life. My family was and still is, awesome. Mom and dad were exceptional parents. What happened to me once I walked out that front door, well -- that was where I wondered why the Universe hated me.
When I was in middle school -- I was in a lot of fights. They weren't ones I started. Remember me being the nerd child, and then add that cruel comment about kids. But to answer your question, there were several teachers who would wager on my fights.
Actually bet with the older teens or other teachers. You didn't run to these guys for help.
Another reason my wife and I chose homeschooling for our own little ones.
That's horrific...it's a like a post-apocalyptic movie script.
And yet, it was just the life of a young boy.
I’m grateful though. This was when my dad finally had a talk with me and gave me permission to fight back.
“If you didn’t start it, you tried to get away, and you asked for help and didn’t get it.... then if they start it, son, you make sure to finish it.”
I’ve finished every fight after that day until now.
Word count limits are annoying. And yet... it does keep me from reading all night...
Soooo, you'd be upset if I wished insomnia upon you?
...even if adding a mental and emotional satisfaction wish on the back end from all the reading?
Yes, I would!
Well, that totally blew MY idea then...
Based on your report, I went out and bought A Clean Kill in Tokyo and read it this weekend - you were right, a very tight, well written thriller! I understand he went through and updated a bit of the story from its original publication as Rain Fall back in 2002(?). That was five years after I left Japan, and just a short time after Memoirs of a Geisha was an NYT best seller. His ability to capture the feel of being a foreigner in Japan is utterly convincing. I was really transported, though I haven't really spent much time in Tokyo. It didn't matter, it had the right ambiance, the perfect amount of tension, and *so much* research that I was immersed and blew right through it. Thanks for the tip!
Awesome!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the book =) Barry truly is a brilliant writer. So much so, that I made a character after him in the original comic books. That character carried over into the written novels (the ones I UNpublished).
Bookworm.
I'm going to be posting some of the original comics for paid subscribers, so you'll see who I'm talking about, unless you've already seen the comics?
I haven't read them yet!
Welp, you can wait until i share them down the road, or you can get all 13 here for $5. https://ko-fi.com/s/b9f8265ee9
Either way, you'll eventually see Barry's character...'Buddy Keisler,' aka Bookworm....Best Selling Master Assassin gnome. (grin)
Wow - that was really quite something! You had to stop at #13 because of the accident? That's too bad...kind of left it at a cliffhanger, y'know. I like this version for different reasons than the novels. An older Wendell, thrown right into the war without having any time to get acclimated. We also get to see the human and gnome worlds right away. But - no romantic interest, and we are struggling right along with Wendell to understand what is going on. There is definitely an advantage to having more pages in the novel to explain things to the reader. I can't say what I would have thought had I read these without the background from Prelude, but I *think* I would have followed without much effort. And Buddy Keisler was AWESOME!!!
I had a feeling you’d like the gnome assassin.
As for the novels and comics, there’s supposed to be a balance there in the information, with a good deal gutted, because it never belonged.
The story I want to tell is from Wendell’s own mouth and point of view. He was always a teenager...the 33 year old living in moms basement was one of my first ‘compromises’, because it made me laugh.
No other reason.
Lili and the love interest was alway critical to the story, but not told correctly...and there’s a good amount of material I never touched, because I was afraid to steer clear of the wrong path I was on.
Sounds odd, saying that out loud--but I saw SOME progress and reactions from readers. I didn’t want to go from ‘some’, to ‘none.’
Make sense?