Sigler & Hutchins live video chat Feb. 19, to benefit disabled veterans /  by J.C. Hutchins

(Shamelessly lifted from Scott's blog and rewritten for a Hutch-centric audience. You can find his orginal post here.) On February 19, from 9:00 pm to 10:30 pm Eastern, Scott Sigler and I will be doing a fun video conference to discuss podcasting fiction (or whatever the heck else you want to talk about).

This event is sponsored by www.MyooVooDay.com to promote a new video chat tool called ooVoo. That's nice -- and Scott and I wish them well -- but the real point here is that ooVoo is donating $1,500 to the Disabled American Veterans.

This is Scott's preferred charity organization, and I'm all for it. As Scott said in his post: "The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced high numbers of wounded soldiers that need assistance. I don't give a rat's ass about politics here, all I care about is that some of our men and women deserve help."

Amen, brother.

So, how can you help (and share some face time with me and Sigler)? Go to the link below, download the ooVoo software, book one of the 15-minute chat slots, and we'll see you there. We'll be happy to chat about whatever you like, but the primary focus will be on podcasting your fiction. So head over to www.MyooVooDay.com and sign up.

Will you be there? Tell us by posting a comment!

--J.C.

Polls added to JCH.net /  by J.C. Hutchins

Since polling is all the rage these days, I've added a polls widget here at JCH.net. Our debut poll asks a question that's been on my mind lately, and I'd appreciate your feedback. Your votes are invaluable as I ponder the fate of older 7th Son content in the months ahead. You'll find the poll on the right.

This is the first of several polls I'll roll out in 2008, and I hope you'll participate. It's a quick-n-dirty way to sound off, and improve the 7th Son and JCH.net experiences. Thanks a bunch. Now head to the polls!

--J.C.

Support the GRIFFIN/HALE ticket! /  by J.C. Hutchins

After some irreverent pondering (and some mischievous encouragement from some Twitter friends), I decided to whip up a bumper sticker in support of your favorite 7th Son presidential candidates, Hank "Gator" Griffin and Vincent Hale. (In honor of 7th Son's prologue, there's a hearty spattering of, ahem, red in the design.)

The GRIFFIN/HALE 2008 sticker is only three bucks, and I don't take a cut of the cash. Naturally, you're doing the 7th Son trilogy a favor by slapping one of these blood-soaked stickers on your ride: The Griffin/Hale website address will redirect to this site. :) The sticker is available for purchase here.

This November, re-elect character and faith! Re-elect Griffin and Hale!

--J.C.

UltraCreatives Interview #3: Jeff Pulver /  by J.C. Hutchins

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The third episode of J.C.'s UltraCreatives Interview series brings Jeff Pulver -- co-founder of Vonage -- to the program. Jeff has been called a "serial entrepreneur," is a trailblazer in the VOIP industry, and is a social media evangelist. Most recently, Jeff created PULVER.TV, a new 24/7 television network on the internet.

During the chat J.C. and Jeff talk about PULVER.TV, the ultracreative drive of entrepreneurs, his passion for amateur radio, and a whole lot more. The conversation is both insightful and inspiring, and anyone with a creative streak will enjoy it.

Check out the great content at Pulver.TV here, and be sure to subscribe to his blog at JeffPulver.com.

Hutchins and Sigler profiled in DEATH RAY magazine /  by J.C. Hutchins

Set your ray gun to "face-melting coolness," kids: fellow podcast novelist Scott Sigler and I were recently profiled in one of the coolest sci-fi magazines around, DEATH RAY. This slick U.K.-based publication showcased us and how our podiobooks -- and you amazing listeners -- are shaking up the publishing industry.

Click here to view a PDF of the article (masterfully written by Martyn Casserly) ... but more important, show Death Ray your support by heading to a bookstore and snagging a print copy, or subscribing to the magazine!

--J.C.

LOL7thSon winners announced! (kthxbai) /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Greetings, loyal Agents of the Ministry! Natasha, our fearless Voice of the MOP, has returned from a long Moscow vacation to announce the five winners of the most recent Ministry mission, Operation LOL7thSon! While all of the participants created brilliant 7S-inspired LOL images, these five Agents crafted pictures so witty, even the humorless Natasha gave a chuckle.

Behold the five winners ... and their artwork! (Winners will receive emails from Natasha very soon!)

  • Isaac for "Jon Come Hom Plz..."
  • The Doctor for "Dere Iz No Clonz"
  • JR Merlin for "Im In Your Ministry Propagandering..."
  • MartynDarkly for "Kittyroy 2.0, Meh Is Everwhere"
  • Fried Geek for "This Town Is Teh Suck"

Also included in the gallery above are the cool prizes these Agents have won! GeekLabel T-shirts, MOP mugs and license plate borders ... even John Alpha's "How To Take Over the World" journal!

A big SPASIBA to all who entered the contest! And keep your ears peeled, Agents: a new MOP mission ... with the coolest capitalist swag yet ... is coming soon!

--J.C.

Killer Content: "Morning Call Time" podcast /  by J.C. Hutchins

(Full disclosure: J.C. and the creators of the "Morning Call Time" podcast are cross-promoting each other's work; this post is one way J.C. is helping spread the word.)

The thing I miss most about being a journalist is knowing "the news" before anyone else. Working at a news outlet is like riding shotgun in the DeLorean from Back to the Future -- in a way, you can see a few days into the future, and know what's happening in the world before anyone else.

That's one of the main reasons why I dig the "Morning Call Time" entertainment news podcast. This show, hosted by industry vet Chad Gervich, is all about delivering entertainment news from leading trade publications (read: Daily Variety and others) before the mainstream press does.

Chad and his team cull the trades for the best stories, post them on mediabistro's "Fishbowl LA" blog, and create the Morning Call Time 'cast for people who work in the industry — producers, execs, agents, writers, etc. The goal: to deliver each day's headlines in a portable audio format before they get to the office. These pros have a huge leg up on the day ahead, since they've already "read" their industry's headlines.

What does this mean to folks who aren't in the biz? You're getting the news that's most important to the actual insiders of Hollywood ... and that's as cool as having your own time machine, I think. So if you love being ahead of the curve when it comes to entertainment news, Morning Call Time is killer content for your ears.

Check out the Fishbowl LA blog here, or subscribe to the Morning Call Time podcast here. Great stuff.

--J.C.

Continuing The Conversation /  by J.C. Hutchins

If you've ever:

  • visited a blog and left a comment ...
  • listened to a podcast and emailed its host ...
  • wrote on someone's Facebook wall, "friended" someone on MySpace, or posted an update on Twitter or Pownce ...
  • sent an email, SMS, or instant message to your friends about darned-near anything ...

... then you've participating in what social media leaders call "the conversation." "The conversation" is this, this here, the wild frontier where community transcends geography, and ideas are exchanged at the speed of a mouse-click. Life-changing stuff.

I'll be writing about my experiences in this world in the 2008 edition of The Age of Conversation, a book whose creative philosophy can be likened to the Open Media movement. It's a brilliant concept. There is no one author. Dozens and dozens of bloggers will participate in its creation.

The best part? You can participate, too. Visit editor Drew McLellan's site to vote on this year's The Age of Conversation book topic ... and if you like, sign up as a contributing author, like I did. It doesn't get more democratic -- or conversational -- than that.

--J.C.

Purples and Tigers and Fire, Oh My! /  by J.C. Hutchins

Something not many folks know about me is that I'm an amateur graphic designer. I used to do it for cash ... but these days, I do it for fun, and for friends. For instance: Nearly all of the typographical elements you see in the 7th Son covers and here at JCH.net were designed by me. I'm no pro; it's just another way to flex my creative muscles.

When time permits, I lend my meager pixel-pushing talents to worthy causes -- namely, my friends' projects. One such pal is Mur Lafferty, author of the Playing for Keeps podiobook. Each week, I collaborate with brilliant writer and artist Jared Axelrod (and more recently, Natalie Metzger) to create the "comic book" covers seen in the free Playing for Keeps PDFs. But when Mur informed me that she had an idea to reward her faithful evangelistic Street Team members, I was stoked, and wanted to help.

Behold the fruits of that collaboration: Personalized online avatars and images for Street Team members. Folks who spread the word about Mur's novel will receive a cool "Third Waver" picture and avatar, complete with spiffy name. (Since I'm one of the many regular contributors to Mur's project, I'm a "First Waver.") You can use the avatar on Twitter, LiveJournal, etc. ... and you can post the larger image on your site, or blog. Mur has created yet another "first" in podiobook promotion! Very cool.

Visit the Playing For Keeps site, sign up for the Street Team and get evangelizing. Those who do will receive a custom-made hero and name (created by Mur Lafferty herself), and these whiz-bang cool rewards!

--J.C.

UltraCreatives Interview #2: Matt Wallace /  by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the second episode of the UltraCreatives Interview series! This week, J.C. chats with Matt Wallace, award-winning author of The Failed Cities Monologues, showcase writer for the Variant Frequencies podcast, screenwriter, ex-professional wrestler -- the list goes on and on.

Matt discusses his forthcoming short story collection The Next Fix (available from Apex Publishing in late March), his creative philosophy, current and future work ... and gobs more.

You can check out Matt's work at these fine online establishments:

In the intro, J.C. talks up the new Fan Community section, plans for future podcasts, the new LOL7thSon photo gallery and more. Hella good times in this episode. Brace yourself for a "Real Genius" reference.

Promos:

Spreading the White Noise 2 word /  by J.C. Hutchins

Hey everybody -- just wanted to update you on the WHITE NOISE 2 grassroots "new media" push that's currently sweeping the podosphere. As you know, I recently interviewed director Patrick Lussier and screenwriter Matt Venne about their involvement with the film. (For newcomers to the site, you can find the interview here.) What you don't know is that Patrick and Matt are currently on a whirlwind podcasting press junket, chatting with other high-profile podcasters.

The creative duo sat down and had an awesome face-to-face interview with podcasting powerhouse Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff about writing, the entertainment business and more. The conversation (and coffee!) flowed freely, resulting in an amazing interview.

Check out the interview at Mark's Word Sushi podcast, and -- as always -- spread the word about Patrick and Matt's hard work. (Update: Mark's interview is now available the Pacific Coast Hellway and Podshow Press sites, too.)

Your involvement is already making WN2 a rising star in sales: On Monday, WN2 was ranked #1,800 on Amazon.com's sales charts. As of this writing, the film is now ranked as #983. Better still, the movie currently occupies the #18 and #21 slots for DVD sales in the Mystery and Suspense categories, respectively. Not bad for less than a week's worth of pod-promotion, eh? You are making an impact.

Thanks to all of you who have spread the word or purchased a copy of the film. Find WN2 here at Amazon.

--J.C.

The cow says ... clonnnnnnne. /  by J.C. Hutchins

7th Son listeners should get a kick out of this: After years of development, companies specializing in animal cloning -- cow cloning, specifically -- have received FDA approval to call their cloned critters "safe to eat," the AP reported recently. This proclamation comes after a six-year federal study. The agency has requested a temporary moratorium on the selling of cloned animals for food. The cloning, announcement and moratorium don't surprise me. What I find interesting are the regulatory loopholes detailed in the article. While some major food companies (such as dairy powerhouse Dean Foods Inc.) have wisely vowed to not sell products produced from cloned animals -- and at $20,000 per cloned cow, why would they? -- the FDA will permit the following:

  • The offspring of the cloned cattle can be bred, slaughtered and consumed for food
  • Cloning companies such as Viagen Inc. and Trans Ova Genetics intend to begin selling offspring of cloned cattle immediately
  • Food companies are not required to label products that hail from cloned animals, or their conventionally-bred offspring

Companies like Viagen Inc. have been pursuing cattle cloning for breeding purposes, the AP story says, "to produce a steady supply of cattle that are particularly tender, for instance, or for prize dairy cows."

As the article reports, it is well-known that current technologies create fatal birth defects in many cloned animals, and those that survive -- such as Dolly the sheep -- often have shorter life spans and health problems. According to the story, the FDA concluded that "cloned animals that are born healthy are no different than their non-cloned counterparts during their prime food-producing years," and also produce healthy offspring.

The agency conceded, however, that "it is not possible to draw any conclusions regarding the longevity of livestock clones or possible long-term health consequences" of those animals.

It should be noted that the FDA isn't alone in its findings; European regulators and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences have filed similar reports recently.

Where does this leave the consumer? In the dark, it appears. Putting aside the ethical concerns of cloning and animal experimentation in general, the AP story suggests that we will never know if the burger we're munching has meat from either cloned animals (should the FDA moratorium be lifted), or their offspring.

Should this matter? In a world where a person's DNA can be patented and become corporate "property" -- and where, as Eric Schlosser brilliantly reported in Fast Food Nation, a pound of supermarket or fast food ground beef is the product of dozens, perhaps more than 100, cows -- does it make a difference?

I am a cloning advocate, on nearly every front. But not knowing if I'm eating beef from a cloned cow (or its offspring) gives me the heebie-jeebies -- if only because of the illnesses and lower life expectancy cloned animals experience. Imported produce is labeled as such; it'd be awfully nice to have a similar standard for this kind of meat ... at least for the next decade, or when this concept becomes more "marketable" and "mainstream" for consumers.

Make no mistake: animal cloning will become mainstream. Human cloning is on the horizon. But when it comes to this issue, I'm reminded of what the Beta Clones in 7th Son realize during their adventure: the world is not quite ready for it.

I'm curious to know what you think. Chime on in in the comments. (And thanks to Mae Breakall for sending me the link to the story!)

--J.C.

UltraCreatives Interview #1: Patrick Lussier and Matt Venne /  by J.C. Hutchins

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The new year brings a facelift to JCHutchins.net, a brand-new Community section for 7th Son fans, and the debut of the UltraCreative Interview Series. In this interview, J.C. chats with film director Patrick Lussier and writer Matt Venne about the release of White Noise 2, a taut supernatural thriller starring Nathan Fillion ("Firefly") and Katee Sackhoff ("Battlestar Galactica"). The film was released on DVD recently.

In the interview, Patrick and Matt tell J.C. how they came to the film industry, the collaborative nature of movie-making, working with Fillion and Sackhoff, and much more. These guys embody J.C.'s "UltraCreatives" concept to the core, and it was an honor to have them on the podcast.

How can you help spread the word about White Noise 2?

  • Podcasters: Toss the link to this interview in your podcast feed; J.C. will happily take the bandwidth hit. Direct link can be found here. (Standard MP3; interview duration: 1:36:23; file size: 88.3 MB -- 92596195 bytes)
  • Bloggers: Promote the interview on your site, and include a link to the audio interview. Link is here.
  • Listeners: Contact friends and family about the film, and include a link to this blog page, or a direct link to the audio interview. Interview link is here.

Other links mentioned in the interview:

PLEASE support the hard work of Patrick, Matt and the rest of the White Noise 2 cast and crew by spreading the word and purchasing a copy of the film. Thanks!

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The J.C. Hutchins Fan Community is LIVE! /  by J.C. Hutchins

A message from J.C. Hutchins:

For two years, I've directly interacted with 7th Son fans via email, instant messages and more. But I've craved for a way for dialogue to transcend this limiting "two way" street. I've wanted 7S listeners to interact with each other. And now, the wait for me -- and you -- is over. Bebop over to the Community page to join the J.C. Hutchins fan community!

The site and sign-up is completely free; all you need to do is provide a valid email address and answer a few marketing-ish questions (so I can learn a little more about my listeners; your information is private and will never be sold to a third party), and you're off to the races! You'll be armed to the teeth with access to the Community, and are blessed with your own profile page, where you can customize your page theme, post blog entries, add music, photos, videos and more! You can even make it your new Web presence! Who needs MySpace? You've got HutchSpace now. :D

In addition to having your own personalized webspace, you can create Groups and Forums in this new Community space, upload your pics for the world to see, and get gobs of conversations flowing about 7th Son, me, other podcasts -- it's your community, so it's your call! Consider it your home away from home. Enjoy!

Visit the Community page >>

New Site Debut, New Features /  by J.C. Hutchins

Hey everybody -- J.C. Hutchins here. Welcome to the shiny new version of JCHutchins.net. After two years of using the same look/feel for this site (not to mention an inflexible content management system to maintain it), I've taken the plunge and relaunched. The site now has a much "cleaner" appearance, is easier to navigate, and is compatible with more Web browsers. Podcast listeners may have the entire 7th Son podcast experience download to their podcatching programs. I apologize for this inconvenience; it was a necessary side-effect of the site relaunch.

All of the content from the old version of the site is here, including the Listener-Created Content Download Center, the 7th Son Facility Virtual Tour, the Beta Clone Army Gallery, and more. Feel free to explore the site and send me some feedback via blog comment or the spiffy new email form.

Today will also see the debut of a new feature at JCH.net -- the "UltraCreatives" interview series. Throughout 2008, I'll chat with creative folks in the podcasting, publishing, technology and entertainment industries, and posting them in the podcast feed for you to enjoy. The first UltraCreatives interview will be with White Noise 2 director Patrick Lussier and writer Matt Venne. It's a helluva chat, and I hope you enjoy it.

2008 will also see more fiction and special content here at JCH.net. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you, and hope you'll stay subscribed to the feed!

Special thanks to Kreg Steppe, corwin, Jason Penney, Chris Miller and Steve Saylor for their 11th Hour contributions in helping me deploy this new version of the site. Find links to their work in the Trusted Allies section!

Incredible review of 7th Son /  by J.C. Hutchins

I was flattered beyond words at Lorthyne's amazing review of the 7th Son trilogy, which was recently posted on Gamegrene. Gamegrene is a brilliant site covering the RPG industry, featuring well-written reviews, news and more. 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!

MOP Audio Dispatch: Operation LOL7thSon /  by J.C. Hutchins

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UPDATE: This MOP mission-content has concluded. Please visit the LOL7thSon gallery here to view the final LOL7thSon gallery. If you wish to create your own LOL7thSon image, send it to Natasha at the email address below.

Another ambitious mission awaits you! Natasha, voice of the 7th Son Ministry of Propaganda, commands you to participate in MOP mission #5, code-named "Operation LOL7thSon."

Complete this mission, and you'll land your name on the coveted Agents of the Ministry page. Plus, FIVE lucky winners will take home MOP capitalist swag.

Link to the mission page is here. Transmission ends.

7th Son Ministry Of Propaganda ~ Domination Through Replication ~

SPECIAL EPISODE: J.C. and David Moldawer /  by J.C. Hutchins

EPISODE INTRO BY: Leslie Michael Orchard, of DecafBad

In this episode, J.C. Hutchins chats with David Moldawer, an associate editor at St. Martin's Press. Moldawer will be editing the print edition of 7th Son: Descent, as well as J.C.'s currently-secret "Code Phantom" novel project. Both books will be released in 2009.

The duo discuss some details about the 7th Son print release, dish about Code Phantom (tantalizing morsels abound!) ... and opera. It's a must-listen!

Also must-listens are Moldawer's podcasts, mentioned in the episode: Moldawer in the Morning, The Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas and The New York Times Essential Knowledge podcast.

MOP Mission #6: Operation LOL7thSon /  by J.C. Hutchins

UPDATE: This MOP mission-content has concluded. Please visit the LOL7thSon gallery here to view the final LOL7thSon gallery. If you wish to create your own LOL7thSon image, send it to Natasha at the email address below. Comrades, the time has come to use your brilliance and humor to spread the 7th Son message to the unwashed, ignorant capitalist masses! Natasha, the Voice of the Ministry, conceived this Ministry of Propaganda mission herself. It demands cunning, creativity ... and a familiarity with the Internet meme LOL CATS!

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You don’t know of LOL Cats? Natasha is appalled. Click here to see cuddly American kitties with charming 'Net speak cutlines. (Oh, teh CUTE!) Examine many examples on this site! Arm yourself with LOL language and whiskered wit! You will use similar techniques to evangelize the 7th Son cause, comrades. We shall woo the capitalist populace with teh funny, kthxbai.

Your mission: Operation LOL7thSon.

You shall create 7th Son-themed LOL pictures, post them to J.C. Hutchins’ special LOL7thSon gallery, and email your uneducated friends to promote 7th Son (and showcase your hard work).

The creators of the five funniest images will win 7th Son capitalistic swag. Prizes include an MOP coffee mug, a 7th Son T-shirt, and more! Natasha will personally judge these entries. As you know, comrades, our Russian taskmaster is not known for her sense of humor -- so make these LOL7thSon images extra funny, if you hope to win.

So what must you do to win such coveted prizes? (Not to mention your name on the Agents of the Ministry page?) Easy-peasy, comrade. Follow these simple instructions to create your artwork to post on the LOL7thSon gallery. This process takes less than five minutes; even the busiest soldiers in The People’s Army can participate!

Step 1: Find a photo that you'd like to transform into a funny LOL7thSon picture. Images of public figures, animals, pop culture icons and your own personal photographs work best for this. Get creative! Please avoid using photos of private individuals who haven't given their consent.

Keep it clean, comrades. If the photo is beyond a PG-rating, it'll get yanked from the site. (You will also incur the wrath of Natasha and J.C. This is not a good thing. Nyet.)

Step 2: Once you’ve picked your photo, head over to the awesome "LOL Generator" at the Big Huge Labs site. Click here to easily add 7th Son-themed LOL text to your photo!

Step 3: Click the LOL Generator's "Choose File" button to select the image you wish to LOL7thSon.

Step 4: Enter something super-clever in the screen's text fields ... and be sure to make it LOL-esque! Text can be placed at the top of your LOL7thSon picture, or the bottom, or both. Be sure to take advantage of the other features here, such as the "keep this part of my photo visible" setting, and the text alignment settings.

Again: keep it clean, Agents. PG rating here.

Step 5: Click the Create button!

Step 6: You'll be sent to a new page featuring your new LOL7thSon image! Feel free to tweak the pic if you need to. When you’re done, hit the "Save" button.

Step 7: IMPORTANT STEP, Agents: Be sure to properly name your image to receive credit in the LOL7thSon gallery. Please rename your picture with this naming convention: The word "By" and then your name or nickname. (Example: By JC Hutchins.jpg or By NatashaMOP.jpg)

Step 8: You're almost done! Visit the LOL7thSon gallery to upload your LOL pic! Click here to get there!

Step 9: Click on the "Upload" button in the page's options bar. Follow the directions to post your LOL7thSon picture to the gallery. And behold! Yur in J.C.'s website, pwning hiz gallry!!!11!one!

Step 10: Now click on the "Tell a Friend" button and follow the directions to email FIVE of your friends who you think would like the 7th Son trilogy. They can be family, favorite bloggers, whomever you like. Be sure to separate the email addresses with commas. ALSO: Include NATASHA'S email address in this field! (7thSonMOP@gmail.com) You can't win a prize if she doesn't have your email address!

Include any personal message in the email to your comrades, but it must also include this message (or your personalized variation):

Hey! If you can, check out http://www.7thSonTrilogy.com to see why I sent you this silliness. I’m a fan of 7th Son, this free audiobook novel. It’s a thriller about human cloning. Think James Bond-meets-“Multiplicity” ... or a mashup of Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy. Cool stuff.

Remember, Agents: you must include NATASHA's email address in your message for mission compliance. The creators of the FIVE funniest LOL7thSon images will be contacted by email, given priceless 7th Son swag, and announced in a future Bonus Episode of 7th Son!

Enter as many LOL7thSon images as you like -- but you must email five new friends (and Natasha) for each new entry you create. No cheating, comrades. Natasha watching you.

Deadline for this mission: December 31, 2007.

Transmission ends.

The 7th Son Ministry of Propaganda ~ Domination Through Replication ~