The class is ENGL 376MM: World Building, and is taught by Zach Whalen, an assistant professor in the department of English, Linguistics and Communication. More on Whalen in a moment — first, get a taste of what this class is all about:

Our goal will be to [explore] world building within the expressive practices supported by New Media technologies, and we will proceed by examining texts that imagine Virtual Reality technology or Alternate Worlds. The culmination of this will be to collaboratively design and deploy an Alternate Reality Game of our own.

Students are also required to become active bloggers during the course, build and describe a virtual world, and research — and make a class presentation about — a specific ARG campaign.

Dude, I so want to be in college again, just to take this class.

Dr. Whalen definitely has the chops to rock his students’ socks: He teaches in the area of New Media Studies, and his research focuses on videogames. According to his website, he earned his Ph.D. “by completing a dissertation on the textuality of videogame typography. Also, in 2008, Vanderbilt University Press published Playing the Past: History and Nostalgia in Video Games, the collection of essays I co-edited with Laurie N. Taylor.”

His book looks awesome. I just bought it on Amazon.

Especially flattering is that Personal Effects is required alongside Neal Stephenson’s classic, Snow Crash. (SC is one of my favorite novels.) Also on the reading list is the very insightful This is Not a Game: A Guide to Alternate Reality Gaming by Dave Szulborski.

I can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that my novel will be read in a college classroom — but I’m absolutely jazzed by the news. I’m very proud of Personal Effects and the “out of book” experience we created for it, and am humbled Dr. Whalen felt it was worthy to include in his curriculum.

Most important, I’m delighted that teachers like Whalen understand the cultural significance of this emerging form of storytelling, are embracing it, and are sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with their students.

Pardon me. I must do the Snoopy dance now.

–J.C.

(A grateful shout goes to ARGNet’s Michael Andersen for tipping me to this on Twitter!)

I take no pride in this epic neglect, and am ashamed of the insidious fear that I somehow embraced years ago — a fear that all but ensured I’d never sit in a dentist’s chair again. I can’t tell you when my pervasive fear of dentists began, or how it was formed. I can’t tell you why the thought of someone examining my teeth eventually became far more than an uncomfortable one — because for you, it’s probably that: merely an uncomfortable thought and experience — or why it detoured into a rat-toothed breed of to-the-marrow terror.

I can’t provide you or myself a tidy “why,” perhaps the most crucial element in conquering an irrational fear.

For the past 20 years, this phobia dictated my life. I told no one. I became its slave. As the years went on, my fear of dentists was compounded by the fear of what might be happening inside my mouth, and what would be discovered were I to be examined. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve started awake, slick with sweat, from nightmares of tooth loss. Fear heaped upon fear.

I ignored warning signs of tooth pain; cavities, most likely. And for more than a decade, my tongue probed an ever-growing wall of tartar behind my front lower teeth that became so hard and large, it completely covered those teeth and nearly all of the gum below. I could no longer feel the contours of my individual teeth. It was like pressing your tongue against a ceramic bowl.

This specific, tangible representation of my situation inspired more dread within me than anything else I’ve ever known.

My girlfriend and I are moving to Colorado in two weeks, and she made it clear that visiting her dentist before our departure was something very important to her. She booked an appointment for me. I resisted, and eventually confessed my secret fear to her. She was supremely supportive and sympathetic. And because she was so supportive, I didn’t bail.

I wanted to. I haven’t the words to adequately express how desperately I wanted to. On the drive this afternoon, I gripped the steering wheel so tightly, my knuckles burned white. I prayed for a flat tire. I was pulled taut, could barely speak; red-line adrenaline revved through my capillaries.

I wept when I climbed into the dentist chair. I wouldn’t open my mouth when the technician wanted to do an x-ray. I shuddered and sputtered, sounding stupid as the dentist — a delightful, patient, round-faced 30-year veteran of the business — tried to speak with me.

They’d pull out every tooth in my head. I was absolutely certain of this. Behold my mouth, a cathedral of neglect. Behold the ruination. Behold my lower front teeth — rotten, bleeding, crumbling brown things — tumbling onto my lips as the technician scraped that smooth wall of tartar with a fishhook.

But as the dentist spoke clearly and constructively, demonstrating his expertise and depth of knowledge, the feral thing inside me began to hush. There were no monsters here. And as the dentist commented confidently that the dental issues I described were common (did you know that most folks experience tartar buildup on their lower front teeth? it’s due to their proximity to several enthusiastic salivary glands), I realized there were no monsters inside my mouth either.

I did the math, made a leap of faith, and let go. Two hours later, my tongue could feel the individual contours of those bottom teeth again, finally. For me, this is nothing less than a miracle. The woman I love and a man I’d never met changed my life today. They helped me slay a secret, decades-old, scheming, slobbering personal fear.

There are a handful of manageable issues to deal with in the weeks ahead. It’s easy stuff. Maintenance will also be easy. My choppers are in surprisingly good shape. And if they weren’t — if the news had been much worse — I believe in my heart that I would have accepted and embraced this, and taken steps to make things right.

For in the end, I realized that my fears were absolutely real … but the monster fueling them wasn’t.

I share this story with you because I know that you too have a scheming, slobbering personal fear. There’s a beast prowling in the confines of your head that has dominated you and your actions for years. We all have at least one; I have several.

Perhaps you’re terrified to love someone. Or leave your shitty job, or shitty spouse. Or go to the doctor to diagnose that mysterious lump. Or start writing, singing, pursuing a passion or starting a business. The fear you’re feeling is legitimate, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. But the beast behind that fear may be a vapor, an engine powered by nothing more than decades of the worst kind of self-affirmation, and ignorance — a fundamental lack of understanding.

I don’t think you need to know the “why” to overcome this fear. I think you just need someone to believe in you: either a loved one, or yourself.

There are people in your life who believe in you. I believe in you. You can believe in you, too.

So come on, come with me. We’re going to the dentist.

–J.C.

While you need not hail from the Bluegrass State to receive this supercool distinction (and true honor), I suspect most Kentuckians grow up hearing about the Colonels and maybe — in their secret hearts — quietly hope they might someday become a Colonel themselves. I certainly know I did. The title is an honorary one (it’s the best deal ever — it requires no duties, and carries no pay or compensation other than membership in the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels), but is absolutely awesome.

How did this come to pass? Thank Jack Staples (left), a fan of my fiction. Jack secretly nominated me for this honor, which apparently survived the vetting process and was presented to Governor Steve Beshear for consideration. (Only Colonels can nominate others for commission; Jack himself is a Colonel.) Today, I received a package containing an 11″x17″ certificate signed by Beshear and Secretary of State Trey Grayson. Also included was a hand-written note from Jack:

While no one can speak for the Governor as to why he writes a commission, I can tell you why I nominated you. It was for your selfless dedication to the people around you as you rose in the ranks of podcasting, as well as your contributions to the field of podcasting.

As I told Jack, I’m absolutely humbled that he believed anything I’ve done in the New Media space warranted such attention. The fact that this potboiler-writing (and pot-bellied!) wordherder was approved further stupefies me.

According to a document that accompanied the certificate, Kentucky Colonels are “Kentucky’s ambassadors of goodwill and fellowship around the world.” This is very cool, but it’s got me wondering: Does this mean I have to behave myself?

Unbelievably, I’m now in the company of Colonels such as Johnny Depp, Muhammed Ali, Elvis Presley, Winston Churchill, Whoopi Goldberg, Tiger Woods, Betty White, Babe Ruth and Pope John Paul II. I take greatest pleasure in knowing I have the same honorary Colonel-dom bestowed to Harland Sanders (the KFC colonel) and Tom Parker (“The Colonel,” Elvis Presley’s manager).

Personally, I’m hoping someone cooks up a fan-created “Novelist Version” of the Clue board game, if only so someone out there can someday say: “Colonel Hutchins in the Library with the Revolver!”

In all sincerity, I’m absolutely honored to be a Kentucky Colonel, and am especially grateful to Jack Staples for finding me worthy of nomination.

Call me Colonel,

–J.C.

Baby I’m ready to go … I’m back and ready to go … From the rooftops, shout it out. Shout it out. (Listen to the song here.)

Goodness, yes. A thousand hell yeses. From the rooftops, shout it out. With the new year here, are you ready to go? Ready to roll up your sleeves, put on a playful self-confident sneer, and get your hands dirty with some go?

I am. 2009 was an epic year. Personal Effects: Dark Art. 7th Son: Descent. Both on bookstore bookshelves, a dream come true. I conceived and personally executed several ambitious never-before-seen online promotions — Commit Yourself To The Brink, groundbreaking “vlurb” book trailers, multi-site cross-promotional projects (including a 10-chapter 7th Son excerpt distributed across more than 20 websites, and the recent “In the Nick of Time!” holiday sampler). More than 30 promotional blog guest posts. More than 70 podcast and radio interviews. Lots of first-evers and more-thans and many-mores.

I spent most of 2009 running on three or four hours of sleep each day. I went broke promoting the books. (This is not an exaggeration. Flat-ass, overdrawn-bank-account broke. My finances still haven’t recovered.) The result was stellar “Week One” debuts for both novels, followed by weeks of better-than-average sales. The publishing business is brutal and hyper-competitive, people. Standing out requires a lot of creative thought and effort (which I had) and money (which I didn’t, and wasn’t provided).

I also released two podcast-exclusive fiction projects in ’09, both prequels: Personal Effects: Sword of Blood, and 7th Son: 7 Days. Both were written in the midst of actively promoting the novels, and I’m pretty proud of how they turned out. This brings me to 2010.

I love the crazy-cool creative challenge of podcasting and promoting my stuff. For the past four years, I’ve lived to entertain you with my stories, and dazzle you with unconventional, fun promotions. I’ve made deliberate, informed decisions on how to spend my time, money and creative energy. Since 2006, most of my free time has been funneled into projects designed for you to consume and enjoy, for free.

Businesspeople talk about ROI: return on investment. I realized long ago that it would be impossible to receive an equitable ROI on the time, energy and monetary investment I’ve made in being an active creator in the social media space … so I stopped thinking about that. Instead, I bit into new media and social media with the same abandon I have when chomping into a nectarine — and you rewarded me with amazing feedback and unrivaled devotion, and helped make my lifelong dream of becoming a published novelist come true. My wallet may be a burnt cinder, but my soul lives in a palatial emotional mansion thanks to your generosity and kindness. I am forever grateful for that.

But baby, I’m ready to go.

Here are some not-so-secret secrets about most social media creators: We obsess about statistics. We keenly watch our blog subscriber numbers, our downloads, our website traffic, retweets and more. We crow about consistency, and how a steady output of content ensures the sustained interest of longtime readers (or listeners), and attracts newcomers. We relentlessly “feed the feed,” as I call it — we pipe out stuff of varying quality in our blog/podcast feeds to keep you coming back for more. Some of us do this successfully, and turn a profit. Some of us do this successfully, and don’t turn a profit. Still others feel beholden to these rules and produce content, even when they don’t want to. Burnout. A lack of perceived value from the audience. Real world obligations. It goes on.

I’ve been obsessing and red-lining it for so long, I’ve forgotten what a normal life feels like. I need to know what a normal life feels like. What eight hours of sleep feels like. What writing fiction feels like.

That last part — writing fiction — is critically important, peeps. This year, I felt my most alive when I was writing Sword of Blood and 7 Days, and brainstorming new projects. I took great pride in creating stories around my promotions (World War 7 is a recent fictional scenario that was a blast to concoct and execute), but when just it’s me and the page and the words … oh baby-baby, that’s the primo stuff. I live to tell tall tales, my friends. I’ve missed telling tall tales.

And so it’s time to go.

Time to roll up my sleeves, put on a playful self-confident sneer, and get my hands dirty with some go, that is. You didn’t think I was abandoning this site, and you, and several thousand other awesome peeps, didja? Heavens no. The party’s just getting started. I may not be the ever-present host I was in 2009 and years past, but I’ll certainly be here to entertain you in 2010.

There’s lots to give you. The Personal Effects: Dark Art serialized audiobook. My new podcast fiction project, The 33. I’ll still interview people who amaze me — the people I call UltraCreatives — and I’ll post written and podcast updates on my life, creative projects and other sundries. (I know most of you care less about my non-fiction content than my fiction. That’s okay. But these non-fiction projects are important to me, and I will continue to pursue them.)

So yes. Content shall abound in this blog/podcast feed in 2010. But I need to make something clear, in the kindest and most constructive way possible: this content will be released when my schedule permits. In addition to the Dark Art audiobook (which will debut by Spring 2010) and The 33 (which will debut not long after), I have other creative projects to pursue. There are movie treatments I owe my film agent — original story ideas we want to sell to Hollywood for big bucks. There are other novels to write, which I want to sell to publishers for big bucks. God willing, there will be 7th Son books Two and Three to edit for print release. And I want to pursue ways of telling stories you’ve never seen before; stuff that’s as wide-eyed and untested as a newborn.

Jeepers, all the stories. All the stories I need to tell.

If you choose to abandon my blog/podcast feed because I won’t be delivering free audio content on a weekly basis in 2010, I understand. I do hope, however, that you have an equal understanding and respect for my decision. Of course, I also hope you’ll stick around. There’s a great deal of fun and adventure in what I do … and you can’t beat the price with a stick.

2010 is my year of go. Go beyond podcasting, beyond 7th Son and Personal Effects, and Twitter and Facebook, and my always-shameless, sometimes-crass ass-shaking. It’s time to take down the megaphones. It’s time to start building more worlds. New worlds. Go worlds.

Wanna come along? Just take my hand. There’ll be weeks when I’m loud and sassy, and weeks when you may never hear a peep. But we’ll be running toward the horizon together, grinning at the sun. Running together, adventurers.

Come with me. Baby, I’m ready to go.

–J.C.

Further evidence of the man’s cleverness, creativity and marketing savvy? The video posted below. Dig this: bret wanted to announce his remix contest in an interesting way (and, as he told me, “have an excuse to play with video stuff”). Behold what he created on a budget of $5, using an old jailbroken iPhone. He did all the editing, sound effects and musical score.

Truly badass stuff. Check it, and check the remix contest for his awesome song UltraNumb, which launches in mere days.

—

7th Son: Descent J.C. Hutchins. St. Martin’s Griffin, $14.99 paper (352p) ISBN 978-0-312-38437-1
Hutchins’s debut SF thriller, the first in a trilogy, has the unusual distinction of starting life as a popular podcast. The fast pace set from the beginning serves the story well in audio or print, especially considering that most of the characters are clones of the same man. They’re sent to find their “Alpha” after he rigs a proxy assassination of the president of the United States through stolen government technology capable of unleashing chaos everywhere. Hutchins successfully fleshes out each clone as a separate personality, from happy everyman John Smith to the priest who fears that, as a clone, he has no soul. Though there’s not a lot for the hard SF crowd, thriller readers seeking edge-of-your-seat action flavored with conspiracy and futuristic tech will love every page. (Nov.)

—

I’m proud of my little book, and am absolutely thrilled PW dug it, too. And let’s not forget why PW was able to review the novel in the first place: YOU.

For more than three years, you’ve cheered and challenged me creatively. I haven’t the words to fully express my gratitude for all the love and support you’ve shown me … but know that it is reciprocated a hundred-fold. You inspire me.

–J.C.

Klayton runs a company called FiXT, which helps independent artists (often fellow electronica musicians) distribute their music to the masses. One of these artists is Blue Stahli, who is a stellar talent himself. His AntiSleep Vol. 1 album is packed with aggressive and awesome instrumental music, stuff I live to write by. Highly recommended.

Today, I purchased Blue Stahli’s new single, ULTRAnumb … and I was absolutely delighted by the email I received after I clicked the “buy” button:

Hi, this is bret from Blue Stahli.  Just wanted to thank you for throwing down your hard earned coin on my brand-spankin’ new single ULTRAnumb.  i know there’s much cooler stuff you could be spending your money on, like a feeder monkey, bedazzled cowboy hat, tub of whipped cream and a lifetime supply of rope licorice (but not for eating, if you catch my drift), so it’s freakishly appreciated that you’re supporting some music that you dig.  More comin’ atcha soon…

This, of course, was an automated email — but it was an unexpected gesture, which I appreciated. When was the last time U2 thanked you for purchasing their most recent album? When was the last time James Patterson gave you a hat-tip for picking up the most recent Alex Cross novel? Did Joss Whedon zip you a grateful email when you snagged that copy of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog?

Blue Stahli and the FiXT crew get it. This email exceeded my expectations, and — if only for a moment — piped me full of warm and fuzzies, because the artist himself wanted me to know that I made a tangible difference by supporting his work, and that he appreciated it. It was a step beyond the expected. That’s killer customer service, and it’s something a great many of us — myself included — could learn from.

What are you doing to exceed expectations, either in your art, business or personal life? How are you delighting the world by giving a little more than is required?

–J.C.

Victor has generously provided me the audio from that interview, and I’m delighted to share it with you. I also heartily endorse Victor’s world-class show, and hope that you — regardless of if you’re an Apple fanboy or a hard-core PC user — check it out. And for the photographers in my audience, check out Victor’s stellar Typical Shutterbug Podcast, too!

–J.C.

• Michelle Wolverton
• Daniel Rodriguez
• Jeffrey Conolly
• Donna Phillips
• David Taylor
• Doug from Geek Acres

Thanks to the more than 100 folks who participated in last Tuesday’s giveaway! More ways to evangelize the novel (and score free books) are on the way…

–J.C.

You were born to hit play.

This is so cool. This is sooooo cool.

Click the play button.

Here are some in-depth notes from the email I received yesterday, from Brandon (Warning: There are Book One spoilers):

7th Son, Movement 1: Decent had its world premiere on November 9th, 2008. Before the first rehearsal, I played [Descent's] prologue for everyone … to set the mood, and hopefully get some of them interested in the novel. …

7th Son, Movement 1: Descent is comprised of eight sections:

• “The President of the United States is Dead.  He was murdered in the morning sunlight by a four year old boy.” [0:14]
• A Former Life [0:49]
• Send in the Clones [1:38]
• Descent / The Womb [2:23]
• Contacting the Outside [3:28]
• Following Alpha’s Trail / “I Comply” / Hacking the CDC [4:13]
• Showdown at Folie à Deux [5:28]
• “It’s Never Over” [6:11]

The piece begins with “the chord,” that musical interlude that can be heard between sections of the novel.  I asked a friend to help me figure it out, and its essentially a Gb Major chord, possibly with some added tones.

“The President of the United States is Dead” acts as a mourning funeral song for President Griffin.  The Trumpet plays a modified version of the beginning of “Purple” (the song by Ethic that served as the anthem for Book One), as church bells chime in the background.

While slightly out of order from the novel, musically it made more sense to put this section here.  “A Former Life” portrays the early life of John Michael Smith, before the car crash that brought him to the 7th Son facility.

“Send In The Clones” is a march-like section, depicting the Beta Clones being rounded up and taken to the 7th Son facility, as heard in the first chapter.  The melody that the trumpet is playing was created by assigning a note from an A harmonic minor scale to each Beta, based on their number and order of appearance (7, 1, 6, 5, 2, 3, 4; or John,  Michael, Kilroy 2.0, Father Thomas, Jonathan, Dr. Mike, and Jack).

“Descent” refers to the elevator plunge down, represented by a chaotic chromatic 7/8 measure as the Beta Clones plummet down towards “The Womb.”  One of the concepts behind cloning is about breaking the rules.  So, in this section, I decided to break the rules of typical classical music.  The melodies have a constantly shifting tonal center, and feature many parallel fifths (which are usually frowned upon).

“Contacting the Outside” refers to the events of chapter 14/15, when the Betas are allowed brief phone called to the people they were dragged away from.  It’s a happier moment (in the Lydian mode), almost the calm before the storm, which transitions to…

“Following Alpha’s Trail” depicts the efforts of the Jonathan, Jack, Kilroy 2.0, and John, as they work to find out what John Alpha is up to.  A literal chase is depicted between the 4-bar trombone melody, and the trumpet with a truncated 3-bar version of the same melody, the two instruments getting closer with each repetition.  Kilroy 2.0 calls upon his flock for assistance, and they respond with “I Comply” (represented by a 3 note repeated ostinato played by the xylophone).  Having caught up with Alpha’s clues, Kilroy 2.0 hacks the CDC database.…

“Showdown at Folie à Deux” is certainly one of the most exciting things in Book One, and I tried to depict that in the music.  With a tempo of 150, this is the fastest section of the piece.  The meter occasionally changes from 3 to 4, as the trumpet plays an augmented version of the melody from “Send In the Clones” against a trombone ostinato.  The tempo slows down slightly and the music gets softer, now with the upper woodwinds playing chords, depicting Father Thomas’ leap of faith (this subsection even ends with a plagal cadence, which is also called the ‘amen cadence’ due to its association with religious hymns).  The tempo quickly picks back up, modulates up a half step to add excitement, and briefly revisits the theme from the beginning of the section as the Beta Clones gain the upper hand…

“It’s Never Over” serves almost as a coda to the movement, a slow finale after all of the excitement.  Mourning the loss of one of their own, the Betas realize that even though John Alpha may be dead, the adventures are just beginning.  The piece ends with a deceptive cadence (possible foreshadowing for Movement 2: Deceit, perhaps?), ending on “the chord” that we started with.

Credits:

• Geri Muller: Flute
• Theresa Procopio: Oboe
• Brandon Winrich: Clarinet
• Peter Gilli: Alto Saxophone
• Joshua Sayer: Trumpet
• Scott W. Benson II and Michael Ottaviano: Trombone
• Charles Kalajian, Bobby Cavallaro, and Zach Friedland: Percussion
• Stephen M. Grueb: Conductor

Back to J.C.

I nearly wept when I heard Brandon’s piece; my arms were covered in goosebumps. The time he invested not only in researching my book (his synopsis is better than anything I could’ve written!), but also composing, organizing and preparing the piece for public performance must have been staggering. To me, this is nothing less than awesome. I am humbled, and starstruck, by Brandon’s creation.

Thank you, Brandon, and to the team of talented performers you assembled to play 7th Son, Movement 1: Descent. If you choose to compose Movement 2: Deceit, it will most certainly have a home here.

–J.C.

If you’re new to JCHutchins.net and want to learn more about Personal Effects, please visit this page. There, you’ll get the full skinny on this groundbreaking novel (which I co-authored with game designer Jordan Weisman). Be sure to check out the sidebar on that page for even more goodies and information about the book.

New fans and old can feast thier peepers and ears on these really cool blogs/projects/podcasts that rolled out recently, all covering PE:DA:

• Dan Tabor’s text interview with me for Geekadelphia
• Jay Hathaway’s text interview with me for SuicideGirls
• Her Side, a groundbreaking multimedia fiction project, created by J.R. Blackwell and Mur Lafferty, which helps support Personal Effects
• My audio interview with the BBC’s Pods and Blogs program
• My interview with Grammar Girl for her new Behind the Grammar podcast
• Author Matthew Wayne Selznick’s review of PE:DA

If you enjoy this content, and are persuaded to purchase a copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art, the book is now available in North American bookstores, and for immediate purchase online.

Jetpack on! Higher! Higher!

–J.C.

But nothing beats the comments of a “real” reader (like this one) — someone like you and me, an in-the-trenches lover of books who’s far removed from the publishing biz. That’s why I was delighted to read Greg’s comments over at his A Life In The Day blog, in which he reviewed Dark Art. A snippet:

(P)eppered throughout the book and the included papers are websites to visit with background on the characters and on The Brink, phone numbers and voicemail codes …. All these enhance the total experience, and I found myself more invested in how the novel played out. …

As for the story itself, J.C. Hutchins and Jordan Weisman have crafted a fine horror/thriller that can stand on its own, without the “out of book” experience. Incredibly well-drawn characters … and an involving story made this a novel that I didn’t want to put down. I had to know what happened next to the characters, and some nights begrudgingly set aside the book so I could get some sleep.

You can’t beat that review with a stick, peeps. Many thanks to Greg for the killer review. Check it out here — and if you’d like to support this trailblazing new breed of storytelling, consider pre-ordering a copy of the book.

Welcome to The Brink,

–J.C.

While I was in Atlanta, I did shoot a very brief video that delights me to no end. You get to meet a member of my family in this handheld minute-thirty masterpiece! You also get to see what I’m like in person, when in the company of my wonderful sister, Melissa. Enjoy … and expect OBSIDIAN to resume next week!

–J.C.

“I’ve mentioned J.C. Hutchins a couple of times in the past. His three-fucking-book atomic bomb of a tale 7th Son is something that vaults the line well past genius. If you have never tuned into single retinal-dilating, heart-stammering, brain-crushing chapter…then you, my friend, must either have an inner ear condition that inhibits your enjoyment of audio bliss or a serious desire to live your life to only half its enjoyment capabilities. Heh…yeah, it’s that good…”

I bet Stephen King himself doesn’t get such killer write-ups from readers. Helljack, you and every other 7th Son fan out there rock my little world.

–J.C.

Take this email I received today from Lorin in Pheonixville, Pennsylvania:

After listening to your “Voices from the Darkness” podcast at work, it really freaked me out when the lights suddenly went out in my apartment later that day. … The storm that followed was a mighty one — the wind was blowing, and my husband and I quickly jumped up in search of our flashlights.

After we resettled into seats at our kitchen table, I looked my husband and said I felt like I had steeped into “Voices from the Darkness.” He asked what I was talking about, and together we listened to the podcast as police sirens were heard in the distance and someone was cursing up a storm outside. It was really creepy! Too real for us! What a great way to listen to the podcast.

After listening, we sat in the darkness in the quiet, and I wondered what it would be like to live like that for several weeks, or even years! Blackouts never used to make me think about what it might like to be in one for longer than a day or so, until I started listening to the stories told throughout your podcasts. … Here’s hoping that we do not have a nationwide blackout anytime soon, because you are right — when the lights go out, chaos does reign!

For a guy like me, emails don’t get much better than that. According to Lorin, she’s in good hands when the lights go out: her husband is a former Eagle Scout, and is prepared for nearly any problem. Dig the photo: hubby whipped up a head-mounted flashlight solution later that evening so they could play Scrabble. How cool!

Thanks for the awesome email, Lorin … and thanks for reminding me that the best feedback an entertainer can receive is when he’s told that his work is being appreciated long after it’s been experienced.

–J.C.

John Alpha:  A fitting name for a new beginning that is desperately needed in our country.  John Alpha is a visionary with a grand outlook for our country.  He feels that he can truly bring the United States to a place of respectability and honor.  He is a man of many skills, traits, and dare I say, personalities.  His personality is so powerful that it seems like he is more than one person at the same time.

Rock on! Read the full text of Robert’s blog post here. And if YOU want to evangelize Alpha’s cause, either visit JohnAlphaForPresident.com to get your free bumper sticker, or just as cool, post a message of loyalty yourself on your blog, Twitter stream, Facebook or Myspace profiles! Be sure to email me your proclamation; I’ll be sure to spread the word.

Thanks, Robert, for casting your vote for Alpha. “A” is for America!

–J.C.

There are few folks in the entertainment business who I truly, madly, deep-geek over. Stan Winston is one of them. He was the genius who brought Aliens and Terminators out of James Cameron’s mind and into the real world, on movie soundstages. He resurrected long-extinct full-size Tyrannosaurus Rexes for Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” films. His Predator did more than kick Schwarzenegger’s ass — it scared me out of my mind. I still weep when I watch “Edward Scissorhands” … and while much of that can be credited to Johnny Depp’s performance (and Danny Elfman’s swirling score), that performance was informed by the Scissorhands costume, which Winston helped create.

Stan Winston was a collaborator — he made that clear in nearly every interview I’ve watched — and he wasn’t a one-man band: hundreds of brilliant creature creators and puppeteers worked at (or for) his Stan Winston Studio. I had the good fortune to interview one such employee back when Spielberg’s “A.I.” was in theaters. We spoke at length about the robotic teddy bear Winston’s team designed for that film, and we chatted briefly about Stan himself. In the end, this fellow told me Winston’s mission was to make the creatures look, act and feel as real as possible. Part of that hailed from performance and puppetry; the rest came from the design of the creatures, at which Stan Winston excelled.

Even long after preposterous computer-generated fakery stole the spotlight from practical creations such as Winston’s, he continued to be a player in the business. Most say the best in the business, and I’d be hard-pressed to disagree.

And why? Because Winston’s monsters (and sentient robots and dinosaurs and aliens) were real, real, tangible things that actors (and audiences) could see. We could sense these things actually occupied space, and had weight and depth. I’ll take a man in a rubber suit over a mess of animated pixels any day, because I can appreciate the craft, the sensibility, the reality inside the fantasy I’m witnessing. That’s something Stan Winston probably knew in his heart of hearts. Even in the great creative con that is storytelling and moviemaking, nothing beats the real.

It was this ultra-commitment to detail and a zealous drive for reality that always impressed me most about Winston’s work. Stan Winston convinced me that metal skeletons were terrifying, that hand-puppet-powered chestbursters were the ultimate in terror, and that, were I ever pitted against a velociraptor, I would lose. Badly.

Stan Winston made me believe — and that means he did his job. He was goddamned good at his job.

I wish you were still with us, Stan. I wish you could still wow us with new work for another decade, or two decades. But I’ve got a shelf of DVDs that will remind me of what you gave us — what you gave me — while you were here. It was all an illusion, as all filmmaking is, but you were one of the best illusionists in the world.

–J.C.

Tags: StanWinston

Behold, another John Alpha supporter — this one is an “Alpha Female,” and a very special one at that. This sticker is on my sister’s car! She lives in my home state of Kentucky — a hilly, lush, wonderful place that I miss somethin’ fierce.

Recently, Alpha Sis (as we’ll call her) upgraded her Internet connection to broadband, and — after more than two years of hearing about 7th Son (but not hearing the actual podcast) — has become a 7S geek of the highest order. This is unbelievably awesome for me, as Alpha Sis, in a great many ways, was the inspiration for the book’s character binary_fairy. She’s one of the most intelligent and driven people I know.

And so, here’s the third photo from the field of a JOHN ALPHA ’08 public supporter! Rock on, sis! And if you want a free bumper sticker to show your Alpha affinity, visit the bona-fide’s campaign website!

(And I should probably start cooking up that photo gallery already…)

–J.C.

This image was provided by David van Sunder, from the terrific “Millionaire Or Bust” podcast. David slapped this bad boy onto his 12″ G4 Powerbook (a thing of beauty … I always wanted one of those), and now proudly finds himself among the psyjacked ranks of the Alpha Males (and Females)!

The sticker, of course, was free — thanks to John Alpha’s wicked campaign website. Do you want to show your support for the bona-fide? Bebop over there today, toss a self-addressed stamped envelope into the mail, and days later, you’ll receive your free JOHN ALPHA ’08 bumper sticker!

This election, make a nuclear impact with your vote! A Is For America! Vote Alpha!

–J.C.

One such sticker was spotted in the wild today: Alpha acolyte DanTheFan (from of the killer Fanboy Hell and Otaku Generation podcasts) sent me this photo of his Macbook. Behold, the Alpha Male loyalty! (And try to ignore that reference to Ssssssigler in the upper right-hand corner of the image). Many thanks to DanTheFan for this contribution.

So how can you get your own free JOHN ALPHA ’08 bumper sticker? Easy, friends — visit JohnAlphaForPresident.com!

U.K.-based 7th Son fan Richard Read spent hours compiling photos from my Beta Clone Army page, and assembling them at Animoto.com to create this brilliant music video starring YOU, the proud folk who’ve purchased 7S shirts at Geeklabel.com and sent me photos. Set to Book Two’s anthem (Celldweller’s “Switchback”), this is an amazing showcase of Richard’s creativity and the Animoto service. This video effin’ rocks.

Richard is a photographer and artist. Find his Flickr page here.

Check out the awesome video below, and share it with your friends. My only regret is that I have a few Beta Clone Army photos yet to post on the site, and they’re not seen here. Those faithful fans will be showcased in their own blog post in the days ahead.

Richard, thanks so much for the awesome contribution to the 7th Son Experience. This video is jaw-droppingly cool!

–J.C.

Welcome to the first-ever 7th Son Vidcast! In this 5-minute video, J.C. documents the “unboxing” of an incredible work of art created by 7th Son listener Keith Burtis. Keith hand-crafted an unbelievably cool, stylized rendition of “The Womb” cloning chamber, described in the J.C.’s novels.

The piece is made from Osage orange, Australian Burl and blood-red Paddauk woods. Forgive J.C. for getting a bit emotional in the video … but the time, effort and artistry that Keith invested in this stunning project is remarkable. A big thank-you to Keith for creating this amazing work of art, and sending it to J.C.

Find out more about Keith Burtis’ work at MagicWoodWorks.com.

In Liz Strauss’ world, the mischievous acronym stands for “Successful and Outstanding Blogger.” There are bazillions of blogs in the ‘sphere, but only a select few are awarded this distinction. According to Liz, SOBs:

(T)ake the conversation to their readers, contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger. … Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

I had the great pleasure to chat at length with Liz at SXSW earlier this month, and will soon have her on the UltraCreatives Interview Series to share her perspectives on social media … and more important, success. I’ll also be helping her spread the word in the podosphere about SOBcon 2008, a brilliant conference designed to empower people to embrace their creative passions, and launch online businesses. It’s a remarkable venture, and I’m honored to help Liz evangelize the cause.

I’ve been an avid reader of Liz’s Successful Blog for months now, and highly recommend it for practical (and philosophical) tips on how to be a better contributor to the online community. Check it out … and thanks again to Liz for this prized distinction!

Listener Gemini recently reviewed all three audionovels on her blog, Time Well Wasted. I was thrilled to learn that she enjoyed 7th Son from beginning to end: “J.C. Hutchins has created a story so amazing, and so full of conspiracy, that you have to stop yourself from wondering if he’s really got more information that he’s letting on,” she wrote in her review of Book One: Descent. “His grasp of technology during the weaving of this book almost puts Michael Crichton to shame.”

Mentioning me in the same paragraph as Crichton is humbling beyond measure. But then Gemini followed up with this comment in her review of Book Two: Deceit: “Last week, I said the man was as good as Michael Crichton. This week, I’m saying he’s better.” I’m stunned and thrilled to know that 7S made such a positive impact on Gemini.

Find her reviews here:

• Review of Book One: Descent
• Review of Book Two: Deceit
• Review of Book Three: Destruction

These accolades alone made my month, but then woodcarving maestro Keith Burtis blew me right out of my Asics (and my socks) this week when he emailed me this remarkable blog post. Keith was so inspired by 7th Son that he hand-crafted an unbelievably cool, stylized rendition of “The Womb” cloning chamber, described in the novels.

His art — made from Osage orange, Australian Burl and blood-red Paddauk woods — is nothing short of miraculous. I nearly wept when I saw his photos of the project … and I know I will weep when I receive it from Keith in the mail very soon.

Keith, thank you for this priceless piece. I’ll do more than cherish it — I’ll be displaying it proudly in my living room for years to come.

Finally, 7S fan “Dan the Demented” recently interviewed me on his podcast, the Polyschizmatic Reprobates Hour. It was a treat chatting with him, and the episode — which also features podnovelist Seth Harwood — is a hoot-and-a-half. Find the interview here.

I am deeply touched to know that the 7th Son trilogy continues to move and inspire people … and I’m doubly thrilled to know that fans can enjoy its forthcoming supplemental short story anthology 7th Son: OBSIDIAN in May, and the release of 7th Son: Descent in print in 2009.

Have you created artwork or a blog post inspired by 7th Son? I’d love to know about it. Please give a shout-out in the comments!

–J.C.

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.

Find the interview here.

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.

Just dig this excerpt from the site’s mission statement: “Gamegrene is not your typical gaming website. We’re not here to give you lists of equipment or announcements about the next release of Magic: The Gathering. … Gamegrene. For the gamer who’s sick of the typical.”

Check out Lorthyne’s 7th Son review here, and be sure to leave him a comment of appreciation on the page!

Brian took the single MP3 file of 7S/GLU and chopped it up, allowing each song (and corresponding intro) to have its own track. The end result is a CD- (and MP3 playlist-) friendly presentation. Extremely generous of Brian … and extremely cool. Thanks, Brian!

You’ll find a link to this hefty download at this new “7th Son Download Center” web page.

And while you’re enjoying this new presentation of the 7S/GLU episode, be sure to visit the JCHutchins.net wallpapers page, where you can download cover art (and a track listing) created by uberfan Michael.

7th Son fans RAWK!

I’ve been amazed, honored and humbled by the positive reaction that 7th Son has garned since then. Today — and perhaps it will be only today, or only for a few hours — 7th Son has hit #1 on the Podcast Pickle favorites list. I owe that acheivement solely to the enthusiasm of 7th Son fans.

A storyteller is nothing without an audience, and I want to give my deepest gratitude to you for being there, and for enjoying my story. Thanks for all the encouragement and support you’ve given the novel. 7th Son fans ROCK!

With respect and admiration,
–J.C. Hutchins

In his review, Tim complimented my reading and voice acting. (Oh, if only Tim — and the rest of you — could hear all my all-too-often flubs!) Most flattering, however, were his kind words about John and the other main characters:

“While the plot of the story is interesting and engaging, what makes this story for me is the character development within the story,” Tim wrote. “The seven John Michael Smiths … have all taken different paths in life and as such have quite distinct personalities. … These characters and their development give rise to questions about nature versus nurture and the potential to mold people to a certain way of not just thinking, but actually being.”

Wow! Thanks for the review, Tim! Everybody, be sure to check out Podcast Reviews for Tim’s thoughts on other ‘casts. Tim also has another website, Movie Reviews Plus, where he and a buddy review … wait for it … movies. Extremely cool stuff!

Take this masterfully-written blog post by listener Michael. Michael has been moved to comment about the plight of 7th Son’s Father Thomas. As fans know, Thomas’ spiritual world has been rocked since he has discovered that he’s a clone. He fears that he is a soulless, “manufactured thing.” Quite a dilemma for a Catholic priest to have.

Michael will be exploring Thomas’ woes — and his own take on the clone/soul issue — in a multi-part commentary on his blog, “Brother Osric’s Scriptorium.” Michael is a very intelligent, very gifted writer, and I can’t wait to see what he has to say on the subject. If the spiritual subtext of 7th Son intrigues you, I heartily recommend checking out his blog.

Michael, thanks for sharing your views with your readers … and for making 7th Son that much more “real” and tangible for me!

Now, some people dream of fame and fortune. My dream? For my work to be worthy of a Wikipedia mention.

I’ll be damned if dreams don’t come true. Neither “J.C. Hutchins” nor “7th Son” has a wiki entry … but that ubiquitous hacker we all know so well, Kilroy2.0, is mentioned in a wiki entry about Kilroy, the World War II myth:

It’s a tiny mention, but I was tickled to see it there nonetheless. I don’t know which 7th Son fan mentioned Kilroy2.0, but whoever you are, you rock!

Or does it? Turns out Manata has a blog, and he’s been praising 7th Son there. Better still, Manata let his imagination run wild, and did a virtual “casting call” of actors and actresses who’d appear in 7th Son, if it were made into a big-budget movie. Some highlights from Manata’s who’s who of actors include:

• Philip Baker Hall as A.U. Rookman, the corrupt oil tycoon seen in Chapter 17
• Clancy Brown or Colin McFarlane as Gen. Hill (I think Brown is a badass, but I prefer McFarlane, as Hill is African-American)
• Carrie-Ann Moss as John’s girlfriend, Sarah
• And playing the Beta Clones (and John Alpha)? Either Thomas Arana or Mark Ruffalo

Awesome casting, Manata! Thanks for the inspired evangelism!

Personally, I’d love to see Ryan Reynolds in the role of the Betas. Since he’s best known for his comedic roles, Reynolds may not be an obvious choice. But the man does have experience in a fat suit (perfect for Kilroy2.0), he’s lean, and has that ripped muscle mojo going on (perfect for Michael the Marine).

I first thought of Reynolds when I watched Blade: Trinity. He was the best thing about the that flick. And if there’s any doubt that Reynolds isn’t one bad mamma-jamma, I present this production still from Trinity:

If these blog readers tune in, everybody wins: Podcasters get new listeners, and the listeners receive some nifty (and free!) entertainment.

Rick Jones said this about 7th Son in a recent entry on his LiveJournal:

“I am totally loving this book. … It’s a techno-thriller that’s quite the ride and yet also does the wonderful thing that science fiction can do: make you do some hard ‘what if’ thinking while you’re enjoying the roller coaster.”

And SuperMoonMan posted this at his blog, Let’s Move To the Moon:

“After listening to the first episode [of 7S]–>I am definitely going to listen to more. This is my first experience with a podiobook and I definitely enjoyed it.”

Awesome. If you’re a 7th Son listener who’s also a blogger, I’d appreciate it if you mentioned 7S — and any other podcasts you’re enjoying — in a future blog post. It’s a great way to bring new listeners to podcasts, and it helps get the word out about 7th Son!

The small WORLD is one of my very favorite podcasts, because Joseph interviews such eclectic, eccentric and intelligent people. (We’ll consider my appearance on the show a fluke.) I always feel a little smarter after tuning in to one of his ‘casts. It’s a “must subscribe” podcast, no doubt.

So check out the interview here, or directly download the file here. Thanks to Joseph for the interview!

The conversation’s topic was “Myth in Storycrafting,” and I chatted about how I had applied mythological themes to characters and storylines while writing 7th Son. It was A BLAST to appear on the show, and I want to thank Mick and the gang for inviting me on the program.

So if you’re interested in hearing little ole me pontificate on writing, plot and character, check out Episode 24 of The Round Table here.

If you like what you hear — and are fascinated by mythology and storytelling — be sure to subscribe to the ‘cast!

7th Son has finally “made it,” as far as I’m concerned — the podcast was selected today as Podcast Pickle’s “Podcast of the Day!” Thanks to to Gary and the good folks at the Pickle for their support … and uber-thanks to Keeme, who blessed 7th Son with this honor. I’m humbled and flattered at all the encouragement and support.

So bee-bop over to my Pickle Page and make yourself a fan of the show! And be sure to check out the other exceptional features at the Pickle, including the forums, comments posting for individual episodes and much more!

Thanks, Taylor, for the positive review! And everybody: Be sure to check out the episode here.

And fret not, 7th Son fans … Chapter 8 is on schedule to go live on Tuesday!

Kilroy 2.0 gazed at the gargantuan holder of zeroes and ones that housed the first 14 years of his life, of their lives. He turned to Dr. Kleinman and asked: “Please tell me this doesn’t run Windows.”

The doctor stopped, wondering if he heard what he thought he did. “Of course not,” Kleinman immediately replied. It was too soon for them contemplate the concept of having a folder marked ‘Solitaire’ buried in their subconscious.

“One day at a time,” Kleinman thought, as they moved on.

Hah! Brilliant! Thanks so much, WarHamster40k, for the support … and for this wily fanfic!