Fan-created machinima movie recreates 7th Son battle
February 29, 2008
Dig this wicked cool machinima video created by Montie G, a dedicated 7th Son fan. This recreates the scrappy fight sequence between Father Thomas and a Devlin solider during the climactic events seen in 7th Son, Book Three: Destruction.
Friends, it doesn’t get any cooler than this. Thanks to Montie G for such an ass-kickin’, creative contribution to the 7th Son experience!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGT4Zm19Uo4
J.C. Hutchins to attend BarCampOrlando, April 6
February 29, 2008
It’s official, 7th Son fans: I’ll be attending BarCampOrlando’s “Media Day” on April 6, and — if there’s interest — will likely host a presentation on podcast fiction. I’ve been craving to attend a BarCamp since I became a podcaster, and am looking forward to the event.
What is BarCampOrlando? It is a community building event which happens twice a year to brings together people from different backgrounds to share and learn from each other. There will be people who know Java, .NET, Ruby, PHP, and other technologies coming together for Dev Day (April 5), and there will be people who know film, music, photography, graphic design, podcasting, and even other New Media coming together for Media Day (April 6).
If you want to learn more about BarCampOrlando — or want to register to attend — visit the event’s site for more information. Hope to see you there!
–J.C.
Recent interviews in the podosphere
February 29, 2008
While I’ve been fortunate to interview many amazing personalities in the social media scene for my UltraCreatives Interview Series, I also enjoy appearing as the interviewee on other podcasts. This week, two excellent podcasters released episodes featuring me on their programs.
I had a great discussion with Chris Moody for the season opener of his PodioMedia Chat podcast. The interview is filled with 7th Son spoilers (be careful, 7th Son newcomers!), and lots of hints of things I have planned for 2008. Find the episode here.
I also had a great interview with Tee Morris on his Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy podcast. Tee and I discussed the creative challenges a writer faces after concluding a large project like 7th Son, and a lot more. Find the episode here.
Both shows feature high-quality content in every episode. Be sure to check them out!
–J.C.
UltraCreatives Interview #6: Seth Harwood
February 27, 2008
This week, crime noir author Seth Harwood joins host J.C. Hutchins for an in-depth, energetic UltraCreatives interview about his debut novel Jack Wakes Up, and its upcoming print release.
Seth chats about his writing career, how he came to love the crime fiction genre, how his profession as an English teacher influences his writing (and vice versa), and more. It’s a fun, forthcoming interview by one of the biggest names in podcast fiction. There’s plenty to learn here for aspiring writers and fans of great, gritty fiction.
Find Seth Harwood on the ‘net:
- SethHarwood.com
- JackWakesUp.com
- Jack Wakes Up on Amazon (Remember: purchase on March 16, “Palms Sunday”)
Promos:
UltraCreatives Interview #5: Jason Calacanis
February 21, 2008
This week on UltraCreatives, J.C. interviews entrepreneur Jason Calacanis, CEO of Mahalo.com, the world’s first human-powered search engine.
During the chat, Jason explains the creative and business philosophies powering Mahalo.com, the creativity an entrepreneur needs to succeed, his personal drive (and the life experiences that defined it), and more. The interview is enlightening for aspiring entrepreneurs, or people pursuing any creative endeavor.
Links mentioned in this interview:
In addition, J.C. mentions the Blogger & Podcaster magazine cover story featuring him and fellow podcast novelists Scott Sigler and Mur Lafferty. Find the online version of the article (written by “The Bitterest Pill” host Dan Klass) at the Blogger & Podcaster website.
For newcomers to JCHutchins.net, welcome! Learn how to subscribe to J.C.’s 7th Son podcast novel thriller trilogy by visiting the Podcasting Primer page. For more info about 7th Son and its awesome fans, view this Summer 2007 media kit PDF.
J.C. Hutchins and Scott Sigler featured on the cover of Blogger & Podcaster magazine
February 19, 2008
I am honored to report that podcast novelist Scott Sigler and I are the subjects of the February/March cover story for Podcaster & Blogger magazine. The article, titled “Fiction 2.0,” was written by Dan Klass of “The Bitterest Pill” fame. Podcast novelist Mur Lafferty was also featured in the story. You can read it at the magazine’s website.
I have never read a journalistic article that so brilliantly and eloquently captures the “vision” that podcast novelists share, why we do what we do, and the passion we have for our work, the podcasting medium, and our audiences. Klass’ reporting is world-class, and his writing matches — and in many cases, trumps — any magazine cover feature you’d find on newsstands today. I am flattered by the coverage, and am honored to be recognized as a vanguard in this blossoming genre of podcasting.
If you’ve read the article and are visiting JCH.net for the first time, thank you for your interest in my work. Feel free to explore the site, and experience the 100+ images, desktop wallpapers, photographs, music, and more … all inspired by 7th Son, all created by fans. Please visit my Podcasting Primer page to easily subscribe to the 7th Son audiobook trilogy.
For existing fans of 7S, you’ll be delighted to know that the Blogger & Podcaster article reveals the details of my next podfiction project — titled 7th Son: Obisidan — which will debut in May. I’ll give more details on Obsidian in a future blog post.
My thanks go out to writer Dan Klass, editor Shelly Brisbin and the Blogger & Podcaster team for covering podcast fiction, and for so superbly capturing my love for my craft, and my listeners.
Tantalizing hints of new 7S project in SciFiDimensions podcast
February 19, 2008
Last week, I chatted with John C. Snider, editor of SF online magazine SciFiDimensions.com, for his site’s new podcast. I had a great time — John is an excellent interviewer — and in addition to doing my best to attract new listeners to 7th Son by promoting the trilogy, I also dropped a few delicious details about the new 7S project to be released in May. I even hinted at dangerous things to come in my secret CODE PHANTOM novel project. You can’t miss this interview, folks!
If you’re a fan of sci-fi, subscribe to John’s podcast … and be sure to check out his online magazine, too! Excellent stuff!
–J.C.
7th Son web widget goes LIVE!
February 16, 2008
Beloved 7th Son listeners: Do you have a blog, MySpace or Facebook page? Howzabout a Blogger, LiveJournal, Friendster or Freewebs site? If you do — and I know you do — feast your peepers on that lovely web widget on the right. While you’re at it, click the audio “play” button. Heee! Instant 7th Son gratification!
We all know that the trilogy has concluded, but that doesn’t mean I’m not questing for new listeners … especially since a new 7th Son fiction project will debut this May. That’s right, folks. More 7S goodness is coming, and I need you to help prepare the uninitiated masses by getting them listening to the trilogy now.
Will you help? It’s easy-peasy to lend a hand. Simply click the “share” button on the pretty little widget, pick your social media site of choice, and post! Alternately, you can paste the magic URL code into a blog entry or sidebar widget of your blogging platform (like I did). Heck, you can even e-mail it to a buddy! The fillout forms are teeny tiny right now, so if you’re having a problem typing in your deets, let me know. I’ll make the widget wider.
In the meantime, help me spread the 7th Son word far and wide — and prepare yourself for May 2008, when I debut the new series titled, 7TH SON, BOOK…
Heh. Cliffhangered again.
Evangelize, my beautiful listeners! Evangelize!
RIP New 7th Son Logo (Feb 15, 6:44 PM — Feb 15, 7:45 PM)
February 16, 2008
7th Son listeners know that I love to experiment with my storytelling, marketing and darned-near everything else I do for my podcast and website. I’m wired to surprise my audience with things that are familiar … but off-plumb enough to be delightful.
I often concoct these experiments on the fly, unilaterally release them into the wild, and see what sticks. In the interest of connecting with the community (and knowing that many creative minds are usually better than one), I’ve pulled back the “curtain” a bit in recent weeks, and invited 7th Son fans to chime in on some creative decisions. I did that last night, and received some intriguing results.
Months ago, I crafted a new logo for the 7th Son experience. I wanted something different and dynamic — something that implied danger, action and excitement (things the 7th Son trilogy is well-known for). I spent several days crafting it, and last night, finally posted it on the homepage here at JCH.net. I asked my Twitter followers if it was “hot or not.”
About 75 percent of respondents liked it. The rest, vociferously, did not. I found myself in a fascinating conundrum.
7th Son is my novel. I wanted a new logo. My informal poll suggested that most folks dug the new design. But the minority was large (and vocal) enough for me to take pause and listen. An hour later, I pulled the plug. We’re back to the status quo.
What have I learned from this? Three things. First: Community rocks. It’s flattering and humbling to know that so many 7th Son listeners care enough to chime in on these ideas, offer their creative perspective, and make suggestions. Second: If you open the floor for discussion, expect it, listen to it — and prepare to make tough choices, should the community split on the issue, or vote against your personal point of view.
And third: Consider strongly what you open up for debate. If you’re convinced in your heart that a certain creative course should be taken, take it. Run with your gut, and be willing to live with the consequences.
I’ll never know if the resistance I encountered with the new logo was legitimate disdain, or the natural reluctance to embrace something new — after all, living things crave stability, and change disrupts that. I’m not dedicating brain cycles to it; I asked for opinions, the people spoke, and it’s done and done.
And so, I present to you the very short-lived “2.0″ logo for the 7th Son trilogy. It was either a bad design, or ahead of its time. But it certainly taught me a great bit about community, the power of crowds, and the unabashed love 7th Son fans have for the podcast. As always, I’m amazed and humbled by that.
–J.C.
Audio Promo: UltraCreatives Interview Series
February 12, 2008
Here’s a quick-n-dirty promo I whipped up to evangelize the UltraCreatives Interview Series. If you’re feeling generous, please download and post in your podcasts, blogs, MySpace pages … you name it. Folks who aren’t wired into the social network/media scene are welcome to email the MP3 to friends!
Thanks for spreading the word!
–J.C.
UltraCreatives Interview #4: Mur Lafferty
February 12, 2008
In this installment of UltraCreatives, J.C. chats with novelist and podcaster Mur Lafferty. A brilliant storyteller and essayist, Mur has released her writing into the podosphere since 2004. Thanks to her “veteran” status in the community, she has a has a unique perspective on podcasting’s roots, the state of podcasting today, and where it’s going.
J.C. and Mur talk about that, her first memories as a writer, what allured her to podcasting, and more. Of particular interest are her thoughts on her Heaven series of audio novellas, and the conclusion of her hit podiobook, Playing for Keeps. The interview is about 90 minutes long, but Mur’s conversation and anecdotes are stellar, and well worth the listen.
Find Mur’s work here:
- Playing for Keeps podiobook
- Heaven audio novellas
- MurLafferty.com
If all goes according to plan, next week’s guest will be entrepreneur and Mahalo.com founder Jason Calacanis.
The J.C.VidStream (The Y! Live Video Streaming Experiment)
February 9, 2008
Yahoo! recently launched Y! Live, a free broadcast service that makes it easy for webcam-empowered folks to create streaming video programming.
Knowing full well that I have a face for radio, I’ve done the “early adopter” thing anyway and created a streaming video channel at Y! Live. The way this works: When I click a button on my laptop, I’ll stream video/audio to my channel page. If you want to join the shenanigans live as I broadcast, you’ll engage me on my Y! Live channel page. Stupid-simple to use.
Of course, my involvement hinges on your interest. Would you dig seeing me dabble in streaming video, and interact with 7th Son fans (including you) in real-time? Tell me in the comments here. If I snag enough interest, I’ll roll out a pilot broadcast and see where it goes. Speak up and let me know!
–J.C.
Subscribing just got easier! Introducing “C2G”
February 8, 2008
The greatest barrier between podcasting and the average computer user is ignorance. Most folks don’t understand how podcasting works, so they believe they can’t participate. I want to change that.
Subscribing to the 7th Son trilogy is simple using Apple’s iTunes software, so I’ve whipped up a video (and snazzy tagline) to tell that story. The method is called C2G: click, click, get. With two clicks of a mouse button, uninitiated users will be on the podcasting fast track.
The C2G video is on permanent display at my Podcasting Primer page, but I’ve included it below so you can see what it’s all about. If you’re a podcaster (or use RSS to distribute your content), feel free to use the C2G logo or tagline on your own website. The more we inform, the more we benefit.
So do you have a tech-leery pal who insists he (or she) “just isn’t ready” for podcasting? Send them the link to my Podcasting Primer page and encourage them to watch the video … or use the C2G logo/tagline on your own site. Remember the new mantra to educate the masses — C2G: click, click, get!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCmZe5yNbYI
What I’m reading. (And what are YOU reading?)
February 8, 2008
I’m never one to turn down a good writing challenge, particularly if it hails from one of my favorite bloggers. Lorelle’s blog is inspiring because she offers practical advice about blogging and the online life. She also issues weekly blog challenges.
This week’s challenge is a must-participate for me: “Blog about what you are reading, what you like to read, and why.”
I’m up to my eyeballs in good books these days. I’m coming down from a months-long fiction binge (more on this in a moment), so I’m currently enjoying some excellent non-fiction.
Reading serves two purposes for me: entertainment and creative inspiration. My mind rarely seeks out new ideas for my own novels/short stories when I read fiction; I’m there to escape. But when I’m questing for concepts to explore creatively — either in my fiction or my in “zero budget” marketing adventures — I dive into non-fic.
So. That recent fiction binge. What did it entail?
- Rainbow’s End by Vernor Vinge: Vinge is my favorite SF author; his far-future A Deepness In the Sky is so damned good, I wish I could read it for the first time all over again. Rainbow’s End is a near-future story, and its world is meticulously realized. Sadly, I wasn’t invested in the characters (and there wasn’t enough conflict for my tastes), and I dropped it halfway through.
- NEXT by Michael Crichton: A book that had a lot of potential, but felt more like a “101″ on the genetics industry than a true narrative. Again, the characters and conflict weren’t compelling enough for me to recommend it. Sloppy.
- Planetary and The Authority by Warren Ellis: Killer epic SF thrillers by the wickedly subversive Warren Ellis. Yeah, they’re comic books … and they’ve got better pacing and character depth than most traditional novels these days. Highly recommended.
- Garden of Beasts by Jeffrey Deaver: I’m an unapologetic Deaver geek; no one can bonk you on the head harder with an unexpected plot twist than this guy. Garden of Beasts is a fascinating look at Nazi Germany, just before World War II. Deaver deftly educates readers on the history and political climate of the era, and throws in an excellent assassination plot, to boot. Recommended, as are his Lincoln Rhyme thriller series.
But my belly’s full of fiction for the moment (aside from some podcast novels, which are serialized and feel more like “shows” than “novels” to me), so I’m currently immersed in non-fic. It’s all tickling my creative side something fierce.
- Merchant of Death by Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun: Just finished this remarkable true story about Victor Bout, an infamous and reviled Russian black-market arms dealer. In addition to directly arming many of the conflicts in Africa for the past 18 years, he’s also put guns (and rockets, and helicopters and frickin’ jets) in the hands of Columbian drug lords, the Taliban and other slimebags. The most terrifying part: He’s still doing it. Excellent read.
- Join the Conversation by Joseph Jaffe: Terrific read for mainstream noobs (or know-it-alls) who don’t know it all about social media, the speed of communication, and the connectedness of the online world. Jaffe’s prose is punchy and mischievously irreverent, and the perspective he provides is an excellent resource for folks interested in diving into the soc.media space.
- Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin: Another excellent marketing-related read for folks curious about the social media explosion. Godin speaks volumes with few words (a rare writing trait indeed), and offers intriguing insights for marketing folk who aren’t grokking the conversations — and opportunities — found in the soc.media space. Currently reading.
- Letting Go of the Words by Janice (Ginny) Redish: This isn’t just a great resource for bloggers, podcasters and anyone who wants to effectively communicate on the Web — it’s a fun, spunky read. Redish provides great writing advice (and context for that advice) in a style that keeps my peepers moving. The very execution of the book proves that she practices what she preaches. Currently reading.
So those are the things on my plate these days. What about you? What are you reading? Talk to me in the comments! Share your recommendations with fellow JCH.net readers!
–J.C.
What is the Stweet Team?
February 6, 2008
It’s a street team, but for Twitter.
Its goal: to spread a little goodwill in the Twittersphere.
Follow the Stweet Team here … or see what it’s about at StweetTeam.com.
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