Tag Archives: self publishing

BQB’S Zombie Apocalypse Survivor Journal – Intro – Part 5

PREVIOUSLY ON BQB’S ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SURVIVOR JOURNAL…

Part 1

My little green friend was stretched out on a table in the employee’s break room of Price Town.  His hat and glasses had fallen off in the chaos, leaving his face on full display.

“He gave his life for us,”  VGRF said.

I sniffed and teared up.

“I…I can’t believe he’s gone.”

“I can’t believe your kid was so ugly,”  Bernie said.  “No offense dude but you might be better off.”

Esteemed Brainy One

Esteemed Brainy One

“He wasn’t my kid,”  I said.  “He was Alien Jones.”

“What?”  Bernie asked.  “You’re saying that alien who writes on your blog is real?!  I thought that was just you pretending!  I thought you pretended to be all the characters.”

“No comment,” I said.

Alien Jones shot his head up into the air and let out a loud gasp.  It scared the crap out of all of us.

“Sweet Zanacostia’s Upper Filter!!!”

Alien Jones was always saying phrases that sounded like they might have been outer space forms of swearing.

“AJ!” I said as I hugged my intergalactic friend.  “You’re alive!”

“But I checked your neck,”  VGRF said.  “You didn’t have a pulse.”

“You don’t even want to know where I keep my pulse.”

Together, we walked out into the store.  It was fully stocked.  From hardware to groceries, it had everything we needed to survive.

Everyone was gone.  I assumed all the employees and customers hightailed it when they heard everyone becoming zombie lunch.

“Guess we picked a good spot to ride out the zombie apocalypse,”  Bernie said.

“Ignorant human,”  Alien Jones said as he pointed at the zombies pounding on the security gate.  “The structural integrity of our barrier will not last forever.”

“So you can just do that bubble thing again,”  Bernie said.

“It saps me of all my energy,”  Alien Jones said.  “Alas, I will not have the power to make another one for a full twenty four hours, and only then, it will last for about five minutes.”

“We’re screwed,”  Bernie said.

VGRF tended to look on the bright side.

“At least we have each other.”

“AJ,”  I said.  “Can’t you just call the Mighty Potentate and ask him to send some shock troops to cook these fools?”

“No,”  Alien Jones replied.  “For the time being, the Mighty Potentate is following Intergalactic Space Law, which mandates that no advanced world get involved in the affairs of primitives such as yourselves.”

“Right,”  VGRF said.  “The Prime Dir…”

“Intergalactic Space Law!”  I interrupted.  “Come on, VGRF, the last thing I need is to have Shatner shove a lawsuit up my ass.”

“The MP is bending the law enough already just by having me aid BQB in his insipid bloggery,”  Alien Jones said.  “He gets away with it because BQB only has 3.5 readers and none of them believe I am real.  He won’t take the chance of landing battle units.”

Alien Jones pulled out his phone.  It was orange, had a screen that displayed holographic images, and looked incredibly expensive.

“What are you doing?”  I asked.

“Consulting news reports.  Alas, it seems that the zombie infestation has spread all throughout East Randomtown in a matter of moments.

“Is West Randomtown safe?”  VGRF asked.

I knew she was worried about her family.

“It appears the surrounding communities were evacuated in time.  Military units are descending on the area to cut East Randomtown off from the rest of the world.”

“Alien Jones,”  I said.  “Can I borrow that for a minute?”

“Be careful,”  AJ said.  “It’s official Mighty Potentate property.”

I loved technology so I relished the chance to look over a phone constructed by aliens.

“What is this?”  I asked.

“A Kondoferian Class Sub 9NM1 Intergalactic Communications Unit.”

“Whoa,”  I said.  “A space phone!”

“No,  it’s a Kondoferian Class Sub…”

“We’re calling it a space phone,”  I said.  “It can call anyone anywhere in the world?”

“Anyone anywhere in the universe,”  Alien Jones replied.

“Is it fully charged?”  I asked.

“It is operated by a plutonium pebble with a half-life of a thousand years.  There is no need to recharge it until the year 3015.”

“I know exactly what to do with this,”  I said.

“Call the Army and ask them to rescue us,”  VGRF said.  “Thank God!”

“Take some dope ass selfies in front of the zombies and post them all over the Internet,”  Bernie said.  “Shit, with publicity like that the Funky Hunks will be back in no time.  High five!”

I left him hanging.

“No,”  I said.  “I’m going to call…ZOMBIE AUTHORS!  As the owner of a magic bookshelf, I am beloved and revered throughout the literary world!  With AJ’s space phone, I can call the world’s foremost zombie experts, individuals with vast knowledge of the undead that they’ll be able to advise us on how to extricate ourselves from any zombie related situation!”

“I’m pretty sure we should call the Army,”  VGRF said.

“Perhaps you should call your charges back at Bookshelf Battle HQ,”  Alien Jones suggested.

He was right.  As caretaker of a magic bookshelf, it was my duty to make sure that the various characters who called my shelf home were ok.

I dialed my number.

“Woof?”

“Bookshelf Q. Battledog!  My noble Security Chief!  Is everyone ok?”

“Woof.  Woof woof.”

Bookshelf Q. Battledog

Bookshelf Q. Battledog

“Really?”

“Woof.”

“And the Yeti?”

“Woof.”

“Very well,”  I said.  “Keep the entire facility on lockdown.  No one is to enter or exit.  Be safe, noble hound.”

“Woof.”

I hanged up the phone.

“Well?”  VGRF asked.

“Battledog says the zombies have already made it to our neighborhood, but they’re no match for BQB HQ’s high fortress like walls.  The bookshelf characters are safe and ready to fight if necessary.  My nemesis, the Yeti, remains imprisoned in the basement.”

I was able to get a lot out of those “woofs.”

“We won’t be able to stay here indefinitely,”  Alien Jones said.  “Gather supplies and prepare bug-out bags should we need to leave in a hurry.”

“Yes,”  I said.  “And I know just who to call about that.”

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BQB’s Zombie Apocalypse Survivor Journal – Intro – Part 4

PREVIOUSLY ON BQB’S ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SURVIVOR JOURNAL

Part 1

“Now then, mein reality television stars, you’ve all become famous despite a lack of qualifications, credentials, and talent, is that correct?”

“Hold on Doc, Todd and I are both master plumbers…”

“I’ll take that as a no,”  Dr. Hugo said as he passed the mic to Vinny.

“Yo, does this mall have a spray on tan kiosk or what?  We’re gettin pasty ovah hea’!”shutterstock_173570732

“Strike two,”  Dr. Hugo said.

Jenna smacked a piece of gum in her mouth.

“I like to shop.”

“Undt strike three,”  Dr. Hugo said.  “Yes, the world loves its reality tv stars, so much so that people spend all of their time paying attention to these bores while men of science such as meinself are constantly ignored.  Be pretty and smile for the camera and you get rich undt famous but discover new and creative uses for teflon and the best you can get is a column on a blog with 3.5 readers.  No offense, BQB.”

“None taken.”

I was starting to think Dr. Hugo might be bitter.

“With one blast of mein new invention, these imbeciles will actually become productive members of society.”

“Just don’t blast me in the face,”  Jenna said.  “I never take a blast in the face.”

Vinny was all over that one.

“That’s not what guy on your sex tape said!  Ohhh!”

Rimshot.

“Yo doc,”  Vinny added.  “I was told we was gettin’ paid to show up here and play with your toy ray gun?”

“Something like that,”  Dr. Hugo replied.  “BEHOLD…THE AWESOME POWER OF THE REALITY TV STAR TRANSMOGRIFIER!”

The stars lined up and one by one, Dr. Hugo used his contraption to bathe them in a soft green light.

“How do you feel Ms. Simone?”

Still using her Barbie doll voice, Jenna said.  “Materialism.  ‘Tis a wanton mistress that bids you come hither and yet never fully satisfies you.  Thank you, good doctor, for showing me the folly of my ways, for I will now commit myself to the pursuit of knowledge.  From now on, my only interests will include books, PBS, NPR, Charlie Rose and….buh..”

Jenna didn’t look so good.  None of the stars did.

Flesh started dripping off the right side of Jenna’s once perfect face.

“Excuse me,”  she said.  “Yes, all I’m interested in now is knowledge and…

Her eyes turned a deep shade of yellow.

“BRAINS!!!!!”

The Streibcheks, the Stereotypical Italian New Jerseyians, everyone who’d been zapped with Dr. Hugo’s invention turned into hideous undead creatures.

“Lookout!”  VGRF said.  “Scumsucking bottomfeeders!”

“That’s kind of low isn’t it?”  I asked.  “I mean sure, they’re a bunch of do-nothing hacks but they’re just out for a buck like the rest of us.”

“No!  Zombies!”

“Holy Crap!”

Mayor Bramble was the slowest human on stage and alas, he was instantly ripped to shreds by the zombified reality stars.

“Dr. Hugo!”  I shouted.  “What have you done?”

“Woopsie!”  my mentor said.  “Looks like I accidentally turned the hydroflescent phalange a bit too far to the left.  Mein bad!”

“So what do we do now?”

Dr. Hugo reached into his lab coat, whipped out a metal stick, and unfolded it.  It was the two-jump pogo stick, the invention he used to revitalize global transportation by guaranteeing the user could get wherever he wanted to go in the world with two jumps.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m getting zie fahrvergnügen out of here!  Good luck!”

The mad scientist jumped once and  his pogo stick took him straight up into the air and out through an open skylight.

The audience dispersed, running this way and that with their arms flailing in fear.

The zombies surrounded us.

Alien Jones stretched out his hands and projected a bubble-shaped force field all around us.

“RUN!”  commanded the Esteemed Brainy One.

VGRF, Bernie and I jumped off the stage and let our feet fly.

“Keep up!”  Alien Jones said.  “One touch of the bubble’s surface and you’ll be…”

A zombified Lil’ Schnookums hurled herself at the bubble and was instantly turned into a fine mist. Donnies A and B tried and were vaporized as well.  The others got wise and began grabbing and biting every human they could find.

“We must get you to shelter, BQB,”  Alien Jones said.  “Your writing career is all that prevents the landing of the Mighty Potentate’s shock troops on Earthly soil.”

“I know!  I know!  Do you have to remind me every five seconds?”

Soon, the feeding frenzy doubled, tripled and even quadrupled the zombie horde.

“BQB,”  Bernie said.  “Did you have a kid?  And is he like, magic and shit?”

I ignored my buddy.  We ran past one abandoned store after another watching helplessly as East Randomtonians were eviscerated.

Zombies kept hurling themselves at the bubble only to get misted.

“We must hurry,”  Alien Jones.

The bubble flickered.

“I only have the strength to retain this field a few minutes longer!”

“There!”  I shouted, pointing at the Price Town at the end of the hallway.  It was one of the last three stores still operational.

We ran and ran, vicious beasts hot on our heels.

As we closed in on the store, Alien Jones punched a button on his phone and the security gate began to close.

The gate drew further and further downward.  The force field flickered again, but this time it was gone.

We all slid under the gate just moments before it snapped to ground.  The hungry zombies threw themselves at the metal, trying to bust in and devour us.

“This is some low down crunk ass shit,”  Bernie said.

Alien Jones grabbed his head and passed out, his little green body hitting the floor with a thud.

“AJ?”  I asked.

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BQB’s Zombie Apocalypse Survivor Journal – Intro – Part 2

PREVIOUSLY ON BQB’S ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SURVIVOR JOURNAL…

Part 1

“Oranges!  Get your oranges here!”

Oh great.  Bernie was taking advantage of the spectacle to sell his fruit.

Bernie

Bernie “MC Plotz” Plotznick, one half of the defunct rap duo, “The Funky Hunks.”

It’s not easy getting a brief taste of fame at a young age only to spend the rest of your life in the entertainment industry’s shadow.

I managed to move on from my Funky Hunk days by becoming the owner/proprietor of a book blog with 3.5 readers.  Bernie, on the other hand, was still living in the past, refusing to do anything with his life because he was certain a Funky Hunk resurgence was just around the corner.

In the meantime, he eeked out a meager existence by buying oranges from the supermarket and reselling them to people who felt sorry for him.

“Full of citrusy goodness and your daily requirement of vitamin c, folks!”

“Don’t make eye contact,”  I said to VGRF.

“What?”

Too late.

“BQB!”

Bernie gave me a big hug.

“What up dawg?”

“Hey Bernie.”

“How you been, man?  I hear you’re taking the Internet by storm now?”

“Well, I don’t want to brag, but I do run a WordPress blog with 3.5 readers.  How are you?”

“Me?”  Bernie asked.  “I’m hella tight, son.  Hella tight.  Been kickin’ some sick rhymes.”

“Good for you.”

“Yo, you gotta check this one out.”

“No,”  I said.  “It’s ok.  Maybe later.”

Bernie launched straight into a non-threatening Funky Hunks style rap.

Yo.  Yo yo.  2015.  Funky Hunks back on the scene.

Check it.

Homework!  It’s what you gotta do!

To gain lots of knowledge.

Make your parents happy too.

Everyone started staring at Bernie and not in a good way.

After you’re done,

Practice those ABC’s.

It’s all about killin’ the SAT’s!

“That’s great, Bern,”  I said.  “Really great.”

He kept going.

Algebra!  It seems really tough!

But it totally isn’t when you practice that stuff!”

“BERN!  I got it.”

“That’s the shit, right?  Is that the shit or is that the shit?”

“Oh, it’s shit alright.”

BQB, back in his Funky Hunk days, when he went by the moniker,

BQB, back in his Funky Hunk days, when he went by the moniker, “Read N. Plenty.”

There was a sore spot between Bernie and I.  Back in the day, our manager thought we should rap about sex, drugs and violence like all the other rappers were doing.  I was willing to do it for the money but Bernie refused to rap about anything non-wholesome.

Sometimes I’m mad at him for costing me a ton of cash.  Other times I’m glad he saved my soul because sex, drugs and money isn’t what I’m all about.  Well, the drugs and violence parts anyway.  The sex part?  As a big time nerd, life decided that’s not what I’m about for me.

“We need to get together and lay that down on a track,”  Bernie said.

“I’ll get back to you on that.  I’ve been busy.”

Bernie spied VGRF.

“Yeah, I see you’ve been gettin’ busy.  BQB I heard you was knockin’ boots with a fine ass she-nerd honey but DAYUM!”

VGRF looked at me as if to say, “What do I do?”

“He’s attempting to compliment you,”  I said.

“Oh.  Thank you?”

“No doubt,”  Bernie said.  “Say BQB, I ‘aint tryin’ seperate you from your duckets or nothin.'”

Video Game Rack Fighter

Video Game Rack Fighter

Here it comes.

“I worry about you man.  You need your strength.  You want an orange?”

“How much?”

“Five Washingtons.”

“Are you serious?”

“MC Plotz don’t play, sucka.”

I handed over a fiver and received an orange.  God, I felt sorry for that guy.

Some boring elevator music played over the speakers and an old man wearing a tweed jacket and a bowtie trudged up onto the stage and rested on his cane.

It was Mayor Philbert T. Bramble.  He’d been the leader of East Randomtown for as long as I could remember, not due to his political prowess, but because no one else wanted the job.  He’d been running unopposed forever.

“Good afternoon, East Randomtown!”  the Mayor said.  “What a lovely audience and…”

Mayor Bramble looked directly at me.

“Is that Bookshelf Q. Battler?”

I tried to hide behind VGRF and Bernie.  Alien Jones was busy checking messages on his phone.  It was a suped up, hyper charged alien phone, much more awesome than ours.

“Friends,”  Mayor Bramble said.  “In 1985, East Randomtown resident Doug Hauser got himself a thirty-second spot as a dope pusher on Miami Vice. As I watched that young man get the tar beaten out of him by Don Johnson, I thought to myself, ‘Never again will East Randomtown experience such greatness!'”

Sigh.  It was true.  I was a virtual unknown to the rest of the world, but in my hometown, I was known as “The Man Who Ousted the Miami Vice Extra.

It was a dubious honor.

The crowd started cheering.  “BQB!  BQB!  BQB!”

The Mayor continued.

“But then BQB came along and brought glory to our little burg by starting a blog with not one…not two…not even three…but THREE POINT FIVE READERS!”

Throughout the crowd there were utterances of “Wow” and “Oh my God!” and so on.

“Come on up here, BQB!”

“Uh,”  I mumbled from the crowd.  “I’d really rather not.  It’s Dr. Hugo’s big day and all..”

VGRF nudged me.  “Go ahead.”

“Yes.  You’ve earned it.”

What a supportive girlfriend.  Most women would demand a guy quit their bloggery by now but VGRF had always been there for me.

I headed for the stage.

“Bring your family with you!”

VGRF and Alien Jones, still icognito, tagged along.  Bernie invited himself.

As soon as I was on stage, the crowd went nuts.  A forty-something lady threw her blue denim stretch pants at me.  They landed right on my hand.  It was awkward.

“3.5 readers,”  Mayor Bramble said.  “How do you do it, son?  What’s your secret?”

The Mayor pointed the microphone at me.

“I’m just lucky I guess.”

He put his arm around me.

“Don’t be so modest.  These stories you tell about a magic bookshelf, a space alien, and a private detective and so on, you have quite an imagination to dream all that up.”

“Oh yeah,”  I said.  “None of that is real.”

Or is it?

“BQB, I’m so glad you came because this gives me the chance to announce a piece of important news.  Just yesterday, I signed papers ordering the East Randomtown Maintenance Department to knock down the statue of Doug Hauser in East Randomtown Park and replace it with a sculpture of your likeness!”

The crowd clapped.  One guy yelled “Doug Hauser sucks!”

“Oh no,”  I said.  “Please don’t do that, sir.  I don’t want to step on someone’s accomplishment.”

“Stop being so modest, my boy,” the Mayor said.  “Hauser is an old has-been.  You are this town’s future.”

Yeesh.  I felt sorry for the town then.

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Zombie and Zombie Authors Respond to #31ZombieAuthors

Happy Friday, 3.5.

Have you checked out the info for #31ZombieAuthors yet?

First, heres what the zombies had to say:

“Grrrr.  Arrrrgh!!!”

– Zombie randomly dressed like one of the Village people, making you wonder if his other three friends are ok.

“Ugh…..brains….BRAINS!”

– A zombie who apparently was delivering a pizza when he was bitten because he just carries a large pepperoni with extra cheese everywhere he goes now.

“Bahhhh….ack…reading your dumb blog turned me into a zombie…”

– Formerly one of the 3.5 readers

Everyone’s a critic.

What about the zombie authors?

I must say, the online indie/self-publishing community is awesome.

Here’s what I naturally assumed was going to happen:

BQB:  Hi!  I’m Bookshelf Q. Battler, owner of a magic bookshelf and best friend of an alien.  Would you like to talk to me about zombies in October?

AUTHORS:  Security!!!!

And here’s what’s happened (and literally mostly in just the past day):

BQB: Hi! I’m Bookshelf Q. Battler, owner of a magic bookshelf and best friend of an alien. Would you like to talk to me about zombies in October?

AUTHORS: Sure, what do you need?

Amazing.

And let me tell you, if all goes well, what a diverse group we’ve got lined up, 3.5 readers.

Authors just starting.  Authors who are old pros.  Romantic zombie authors.  Zombie survival authors.  Funny zombie authors.  It’s a veritable zombie-smorgasbord.

I’m not sure if any of them want me to put them out there just yet, but I’ll get a lineup out there eventually.

Dr. Hugo Von Science, Harbinger of the Zombie Apocalypse

Dr. Hugo Von Science, Harbinger of the Zombie Apocalypse

Also, I’m not at 31 yet and ideally, I’d like to get well above 31 because, you know, things happen.  Maybe an author changes his/her mind.  Maybe they become zombies themselves.  Maybe they have to tend to their own survivor groups.  Who knows?

So if you know a zombie author, please let them know.

Clarification

One question that comes up – does the author have to be available on a certain day in October?

Answer – No.  I’m hoping to get every author’s post finished by the end of September so everything’s ready to run in October.

It’s like you’re in a TV show!  You taped it earlier, but it doesn’t run until later!

A TV show with only 3.5 people watching.

Any Special Guests?

They’re all special.

Who Gets the Coveted Halloween End of Interview Series Post?

As I said above, they’re all special.  I was surprised any of them responded, because, I repeat, I’m a guy who claims to talk to aliens.

That being said, I received a yes from two personal heroes who have really inspired this nerd to clack away at the computer keys, so All Hallow’s Eve is all theirs.

I’ll hold off on the details until there’s an official Zombie Author Roster.

Isn’t this awesome?

It really is.  3.5, we’re going to be talking the some of the greatest minds in the zombie-sphere.  So many brains in one place.  Keep the zombies away.

So what’s next?

Here’s where it gets tricky.

To those just tuning in, I’m on a one post a day challenge.  One post on this blog every day for a year.

I’m thinking this zombie challenge really ups the game a bit.  I will have to redouble my efforts because at the end of the day, I want these 31 zombie authors and their fans (zombie and human alike) to be happy.

So, roll up my sleeves I will.  I have to make a spreadsheet just to keep track of all the authors and who I’ve asked what.

And zombie authors tuning in, the tough part will be coordinating my zombie apocalypse story with your interview.

I foresee each day will bring a new entry in BQB’s Zombie Apocalypse Survivor’s Journal.

Day 1 will be longer because it’s the set up of how BQB, VGRF and Alien Jones get trapped in the East Randomtown Mall in the midst of a zombie horde and have to make their way home.

Each day, BQB will update the 3.5 readers with the latest action in the apocalypse and then pause for a Q and A with a zombie author.

Some of those q’s will be advice on zombie apocalypse survival.  That’s probably going to be depend on the individual authors.  Hopefully, some will play along.  Others I fear may just tell me that’s dumb, though hey, no one’s told me no yet so who knows.

What BQB asks will vary amongst the authors, so I’m going to have to do a lot of planning.

There will be questions about writing craft, self publishing, etc. which, ok, yes that’s silly.  BQB, evil undead creatures are trying to eat you, why are you talking about writing?

That’ll be one of those “please suspend your disbelief” moments, 3.5.

What are your questions?

Readers, something like this rarely happens, so don’t waste it.  What questions do you have for our zombie experts?

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#31ZombieAuthors – Revised FAQ

Hello 3.5 readers (and prospective zombie author participants).shutterstock_173570732

Wow, summer went by fast, didn’t it?

You might remember I proposed this idea in July and now September is rapidly approaching.

I’ve had some time to think about it, so if you’re a zombie author interested in helping Bookshelf Q. Battler and friends survive the zombie apocalypse this October, here are the revised details:

Q.  What’s this now?

A.  #31ZombieAuthors – (see hashtag on Twitter).  I’m recruiting thirty one zombie authors to participate.  There are thirty one days in October, so I’d like to interview one per day.  Ideally, I’d like to recruit MORE than thirty one in case someone isn’t able to participate as planned (life happens and all) and if that leads to more than thirty one interviews, that’s great.

Q.  And what is going to happen?

For thirty one days, Bookshelf Q. Battler (that’s me, I like to talk about myself in the third person) will write daily entries in his “Zombie Apocalypse Survivor’s Journal.”

The setup:

Bookshelf Q. Battler, his girlfriend Video Game Rack Fighter, and their alien buddy, Alien Jones aka the Esteemed Brainy One attend a scientific demonstration at the East Randomtown Mall (the shopping headquarters of our hero’s home town).

Alas, the demonstration is run by the mad scientist known as Dr. Hugo Von Science.  Some say he’s incompetent.  Others say he produces failed inventions for the purposes of spreading chaos.  On this blog, we just know him as our humble science correspondent.

Long story short, Dr. Hugo’s experiment goes awry, the crowd of gawkers are turned into zombies, and BQB, VGRF and AJ go on the run in a desperate month long quest for survival.

Here’s the first part of the story.

Q.  What do you want from me?

It’s going to vary from author to author, but I propose anywhere from three-five questions.  Maybe more or less but at any rate I’m not looking to be a burden on anyone’s time.

Some of the questions might be about zombie survival techniques.  For example, BQB might ask you, as a noted zombie expert (after all, you wrote a zombie book) a particular question about how to defeat the zombies or how to survive, etc.

Also, this is a blog where writing and self publishing is discussed, so BQB might discuss your craft as well.

This is all meant to be lighthearted and fun, non-intrusive, and I really want everyone to walk away feeling as though their time was well spent.

When your day in October comes up, it will be something like:

“BQB’S Survivor Journal, Day 10, Today I was so concerned about the zombie epidemic that I spoke to Fred Smith, Author of Zombie Book.”

Q.  I don’t know about this.

I don’t blame you.  I’m a grown man who claims to be the owner of a magic bookshelf as well as the best buddy of an alien.  Who wouldn’t kick the tires a bit on that scenario?

I get it.  You’re running your own self-published author business.  Your reputation is everything and you don’t want it being brought down.

Allow me to offer the following:

  • I’ll email you questions.  You write back with your responses.
  • If you don’t like the finished post, and we can’t figure out a way to fix it that’ll make you happy, it’ll just come down.  No problem.

Q.  This isn’t like a typical blog interview I’ve done.  Why all the interactivity?

I’m a big fan of Jimmy Fallon, who has successfully reinvented the stodgy, decades old late night talk show formula.

Remember Johnny Carson?  What would happen?  Some celebrity comes on, drones on and on about himself, Johnny pretends to be interested, Ed shouts out the occasional, “Ho, ho, ho, you are correct, sir!”

Jimmy plays games with his guests.  Scar Jo comes on, guesses what’s in the box Jimmy’s holding, they have fun, I enjoy watching it and I’m reminded Scar Jo has a new movie coming out.

That’s the gist of what I try to do here.

With Alien Jones’ “Ask the Alien” column, twenty-one authors have asked the alien a question, and received plugs for their books and blogs in his answer.

Here’s the list of authors who’ve participated in that so far.

Note that AJ has also given the “don’t like it, the post comes down” pledge and thus far, not one author has complained.  Typically, they even tweet out, reblog and otherwise promote their alien interaction.

Q.  I’m lost.  What’s your blog about?

Here it is in a nutshell:

  • I’m Bookshelf Q. Battler.  I own a magic bookshelf.  When I put a book on it, the book characters come to life.
  • My friend is Alien Jones, an intergalactic emissary sent by the despotic space dictator, “The Mighty Potentate,” to answer questions in a column on my blog to raise humanity’s intelligence levels and prevent the spread of reality tv throughout the universe.
  • My girlfriend is Video Game Rack Fighter.  We met while on a spiritual quest to consult the Great Guru about the meaning of life.
  • There are other ancillary characters who occasionally stop by, namely, The Yeti, Dr. Hugo, the ghost of my exceptionally grumpy uncle, just to name a few.
  • This blog is my chance to entertain my 3.5 readers.

Q.  3.5 readers?

It’s an ongoing joke.  I can’t lie and tell you this blog is conquering the world, but it has been growing steadily since its inception in 2014.  The gist of the joke is that as long as 3.5 people are reading, I’ll be motivated to keep writing.

Q.  Can you tell me your name?  I’d feel better about being interviewed.

A.  Sure.  My/BQB’s real name is Eduardo Ricardo Papageorgio Von Finkelstein.

Q.  No.  Your real name.

Oh!  You’re talking about nasty rumors that Bookshelf Q. Battler, Alien Jones, all of these characters aren’t real and that some random guy behind the scenes is pretending to be everyone.

Ridiculous!  Preposterous, I say!

In theory though, if that were true, a guy like that would probably prefer to keep himself on the down low, at least until his writing starts paying the bills, so as to not find himself being hauled into an HR meeting to explain why he claims to be best friends with an alien.

You’d be surprised how few people outside of BQB’s 3.5 readers have a sense of humor.

Q.  Thanks, but I’d rather not be involved.

I understand, kemo sabe.  I don’t want to harsh your mellow.  We’re all just fellow travelers on this spaceship called Earth so you be you and I’ll be me, man.  Far out.  Groovy.  You dig it?

Q.  This sounds awesome.  I’m in!

Huzzah!  I’ll be in touch with your questions!  Ideally, I’d like to get all 31 posts in the can by September 20 so it can all go off without a hitch once October rolls around.

And I’m still recruiting, so if you know any zombie authors, spread the word,

Q.  But I’m not a zombie.

Humans who write about zombies are acceptable, but if there is a zombie out there who has managed to write a book despite decaying hands and lack of a thought process, he’s welcome as long as he promises not to bite me.

I’m not sexist.  She-zombies also welcome.

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BQB’s ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SURVIVOR’S JOURNAL – INTRO

BQB EDITORIAL NOTE:

Hey everyone!  You might remember in July I put out a call to recruit authors of zombie books to participate in a fun month long event in October – “31 Zombie Authors.”  Each day, Bookshelf Q. Battler will present a new page in his Zombie Apocalypse Survivor’s Journal, featuring an interview with an author of a zombie book.

I haven’t forgotten you, zombie authors, and will be getting in touch with questions soon.  In the meantime, here is how I foresee the story beginning.

FYI if you’re a zombie author and you want in, please let me know.

WELCOME TO THE EAST RANDOMTOWN MALL

Thank you for choosing to do your shopping here, instead of that damn Internet, which we’re sure is totally just a fad that will die out any minute now.

Three stores are still open and we asked the manager of the pretzel stand to stop spitting into the batter.

Also, the police caught that weirdo who was stabbing people at random.

Enjoy your visit and please tell your friends we’re still open.

No, seriously.  Please tell them.  PLEASE!

It was a chilly fall Saturday afternoon.

I’d been stressed out lately.  Almost a year into a one post a day challenge on my website, “The Bookshelf Battle Blog,” and I was only at a mere 3.5 readers.

The bad news was that Aunt Gertie had given up on it, labeling it “too pedestrian.”  Everyone’s a critic.

The son I never had.

The son I never had.

The good news was that I gained a new reader to replace her, so it was a wash.

On top of reader recruitment woes, my attorney, Delilah K. Donnelly, had warned me that she was pretty sure that Jake Hatcher, my site’s Pop Culture Detective, wanted to pound my face flat for withholding the secret of his 60 year nap from him.

I needed a day off.

My girlfriend/video game correspondent, Video Game Rack Fighter, held my hand as we strolled past a whole row of empty stores, the steel gates yanked shut to prevent bums from turning them into makeshift condos.

“This place used to be jammed packed on Saturdays,”  I said.  “Bernie and I would grab a table at the food court and practice our beats all day long.”

Bernie Plotznick, my old East Randomtown High School buddy.  In the late 90’s/early 2000’s, Bernie and I were a two-man rap duo known as, “The Funky Hunks.”  If you like good rap, you’ve never heard of us.  If you were a soccer mom around that time, you probably threw your blue denim stretch pants on our stage, as our non-threatening, goody two shoes style made us a hit with the over forty ladies’ circuit.

But I digress.

“I miss the arcade,”  VGRF said.  “My mom used to drive me and my sister here all the way from West Randomtown just to play.”

Randomtown began as a settlement in pre-USA colonial days.  Alas, a split came when Zebediah Weston accused Jericho Eastward of oggling his sister’s ankles.  War was declared, a bloodbath ensued, and the town was divided down the middle.

VGRF and I were from opposite sides of the tracks, but somehow we made it work.

“Pitiful humans,” came a low, baritone voice from my right side.  “Outsource your economy to the machines and eventually they take control.  This is exactly what happened to those dimwitted Moloklaxons, the…”

“We know, AJ,”  VGRF interrupted.  “The a-holes of the universe.”

“Exactly.”

Oh, if you’re just tuning in, I should inform you that the Mighty Potentate, the maniacal despotic overlord of a planet the name of which I’ve been repeatedly told is none of my business, has decreed that I am the chosen one.

Specifically, said all powerful being:

  • Is a big fan of fiction and scripted television
  • Was aghast when he discovered just how many reality television programs Earth has produced.
  • Fears that a day will come when Earthlings will learn how to broadcast this trash throughout the cosmos, thus turning other alien races stupid and replacing his beloved scripted programming with shows about models shopping for clothes.
  • Has dispatched his emissary, Alien Jones, aka “The Esteemed Brainy One,” a three foot tall green alien with almond shaped eyes and a bulbous head atop a skinny body, to help get my writing career off the ground by promoting my blog through an “Ask the Alien” column.

It’s a lot of pressure knowing that an extra-terrestrial dictator believes my fiction may one day prevent the dumbening of the entire universe.  I try not to think about it.

Alien Jones usually beamed his columns to my blog from his ship and only visited my home, the Bookshelf Battle Compound, on Thursdays for Scandal night.  It’s become a regular tradition.  He brings the dip.

Other than that, this was the first time we’d gone out in public together.

The little guy was in disguise. Earlier, he dug into a box of old clothing Aunt Gertie had saved from when I was a kid and put on my “East Randomtown Mascots” baseball cap, a striped shirt, a pair of corduroy pants, sneakers and a little beige zip up barracuda jacket. A scarf covered most of his face.

He also borrowed VGRF’s sunglasses to cover his out of this world peepers.  They were purple and girly, but Alien Jones doesn’t have any junk, so I don’t think he cared.

“AJ, are you sure it’s safe for you to be out here?”  I asked.  “I don’t want the government catching you and slicing you up or anything.”

“Fear not,”  AJ replied.  “If anyone asks, I am a typical Earth boy.  My interests include super heroes, sports teams, and amphibians with martial arts training.”

The Esteemed Brainy One barged his way between VGRF and myself and reached his three fingered hands up to grab ours.

“We are an average Earth family on a visit to the commerce emporium,”  Alien Jones said.  “Anyone who implies otherwise will be vaporized.”

The key to the Mighty Potentate’s rule was his vaporization technology, which he used to turn anyone who disappointed him in the slightest way into a fine mist.  As one of the MP’s trusted advisors, AJ was allowed to carry a vaporization pistol, though in any given week, the Mightiest of Potentates threatened to make AJ use it on himself unless his various missions were carried out.

My writing career was one of many MP mandated tasks AJ was juggling.  I felt for the guy.  He was swamped.

“AJ!”  I said.  “You didn’t bring your vaporizer with you did you?”

An old lady who’d been walking near us overheard me and ducked down in front of my alien.

“Vaporizer?  Oh no, what’s the matter?  Does this poor little guy have a cold?”

She reached under the scarf to pinch AJ’s cheek.  VGRF and I looked at each other, unsure what to do.

“He does feel a little clammy.”

The thing you have to understand is that Alien Jones’ normal speaking voice sounds more or less like that smooth ass soul singer Barry White.

That’s pretty cool…unless you’re supposed to be a kid.

“Unhand me hideous creature.”

The old woman stood up, shocked and in a panic, practically ready to have a heart attack.

VGRF swooped in with a save.

“He’s got a sore throat,”  she said.  “And possibly ADD.  We’re getting him tested.”

Befuddled, the lady walked away.  We carried on.

“You know if you’re supposed to be a kid you probably don’t want to sound like you’re going to break out in a love ballad,”  I said.

“Right,”  the alien replied, and then after shifting his voice lower to mimic that of a little kid’s, added, “How’s this, daddy?”

Here, I should point out there’s little Alien Jones can’t do.  Mind reading.  Voice changing.  You name it.

“Incredibly creepy,”  I said.  “And don’t call me daddy ever again.”

“AJ,”  VGRF said, “What could possibly be happening at this mall that was so important to drag us out here anyway?”

As we closed in on the food court, the Esteemed Brainy One relinquished my hand, and pointed toward a stage.

On it, a video monitor had been set up.

Displayed on it were the words:

Today only at one p.m.

Infamous Inventor Dr. Hugo Von Science Presents His Latest Achievement:

The Reality TV Star Transmogrifier!

My diminutive friend returned to his bass voice.

“The Mighty Potentate demands I purchase every one in stock.”

Copyright (c) BQB 2015.  All Rights Reserved.

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How to Share Quotes from Your Wattpad Stories on Social Media

Hello 3.5 Readers.

I’m noted bloggery expert, Bookshelf Q. Battler.

Check this out:

pcm

Yes, that’s a quote from “Pop Culture Mysteries:  Informant Zero.”

Jake crossed paths with a fiendish dominatrix.  She asked him to become her slave, but Jake wasn’t interested, having experienced three previous Mrs. Hatchers already.

Through wattpad, I’m able to share a quote like that on Twitter, Facebook, or a variety of social media websites designed specifically for the purposes of making the populace slow, fat, lazy, dumb, oh and also so that we share all our information so the government can spy on us and read our minds.

I’m not saying you should be worried that the government is reading your mind, but hey, a little tin foil on your head couldn’t hurt either.

3.5 Readers:  But BQB, how do I make one of those fancy quote graphics?

Thank you 3.5.  I’m glad you ask.  You want to make a graphic like this one?

dame

I feel ya,’ Jake.  Video Game Rack Fighter’s always after me about something.  Dames.  I tell you.

Or this one?

Pop Culture Mysteries Quote

Oh Professor Fremont, you slay me with your wit!

It’s simple, here’s how:

  1.  Log into Wattpad on your mobile device.
  2. Pick a word in your story and press your little finger down on it.  It might take a second or so.
  3. The word or words will be highlighted.  At each side of the highlighting, you’ll see a blue dot.  Drag the left blue dot all the way to the beginning of the quote.  Drag the right blue dot to the end of the quote.
  4. When you’re done, you’ll see a little box that says “comment.”  You can select that to comment on the quote if you want.
  5. But we want to actually share that quote, so click on the little quotation mark.  It looks like ”  I hope I didn’t actually have to tell you that.  I worry about your chances in the writing game if I had to.
  6. A photo with the background you provided for the story with the quote superimposed over it will appear.
  7. You’ll then have the opportunity to share it on your favorite time wasting social media surface.
  8. Congratulations!  You’ve managed to cram one more piece of media down America’s already bloated entertainment hole!

This has been your noble blog host, Bookshelf Q. Battler, a poindexter of world renown.

Join us next week when we’ll discuss how to glue your quotes onto rowdy chinchillas and release them into the world to spread news of your brilliance.

Attorney Donnelly just reminded me to point out that was just a joke.  Please do not glue your quotes onto chinchillas or any other animals.  They cannot be trusted.

Don’t forget, you can follow me, BQB on Wattpad or on Twitter with the same handle – @bookshelfbattle

CNITQ2VWEAAbaF2

Oh Jake, you are a cut up!  You’ll have 30.5 million readers in no time!

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Pop Culture Mystery Revamp?

I don’t think I will do this but I want to get the 3.5’s advice first.
shutterstock_229115164

Suppose I:

  • Remove Bookshelf Q. Battler
  • Remove the Pop Culture Questions
  • Rewrite it as a series about a 1950’s detective who fell asleep, woke up in modern times, and an elegant lady lawyer acts as a go between, bring a new case to Jake every episode on behalf of a mysterious benefactor.  Maybe a rich man who wants justice done or something.  I don’t know.  It’d be some person more realistic than Bookshelf Q. Battler.

Why I Thought About It:

  • We’re reaching a point where Jake barely talks about BQB’s question.  It just usually descends into “Oh, that question reminds me of the time when…”
  • Example.  BQB asks Jake “How did Gilligan get washed up on the island?”  Jake’s response would be, “Ahh that reminds me of the time when I was shipwrecked with a band of pirates, goes on about a shipwreck related mystery, and then briefly at the end also answers how Gilligan got lost.”
  • Will the public at large get “Bookshelf Q. Battler?”

Why I’m Leaning Towards Not Doing It

  • To remove the pop culture is to remove the title, and “Pop Culture Mysteries” is such a catchy title. Sad to say, but often it’s all about the title.
  • I feel like at some point the issue can be addressed with something like:

DELILAH:  Mr. Hatcher, Mr. Battler has become very disappointed with your reports.  He asks you a simple question and all you do is drone on and on about your adventures instead.  Could you perhaps reign it in?

JAKE:  What?  And deny the 3.5 my stories?

I don’t know.  Let me know what you think.

As I’ve said before, I started writing this in April and September is around the corner.  It’s the longest I’ve kept going on a project and mainly because when it’s just a guy sharing his memories, it’s kind of impossible to “write myself into a wall” the way I’ve done with other ideas.

Any feedback you can provide on these stories (good, bad or otherwise) is welcome.  My goal is to finish the series of posts by the end of the year, edit and rewrite them, starting posting them daily on a Pop Culture Mysteries spinoff blog next year and then work on and release a Jake novel next year.

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Ask the Alien – PBBPB of “Paperback Beauty Pageant” – What’s Your Favorite Snack Food?

Greetings Earth Losers.

I'm covering my lack of bits and pieces with a guitar so PBBPB won't laugh at me.

I’m covering my lack of bits and pieces with a guitar so PBBPB won’t laugh at me.

No.  You know what?  I won’t even call two of you Earth losers this week, for when Bookshelf Q. Battler put out a notice that my illustrious overlord, the Mighty Potentate, was going to vaporize me lest someone ask me a question for this week’s column, two of you nobly stepped forward and put yourselves between His Potentosity’s vaporizing cannon and my tiny green body.

And they say chivalry is dead.

Pandora Spocks stopped by to inquire what my favorite X-Files episode is.  I’m going to get back to her on that one because that show was more or less a documentary of the Mighty Potentate’s 1990’s era efforts to colonize Earth and impregnate a skeptical female FBI agent.  I need to consult with the Potent One to see what he does and doesn’t want you humans to know.

So this week, I’m taking a question from PBBPB of the Paperback Beauty Pageant.

Ahh, the book cover.  That often shortchanged yet oh so important part of the publishing process.  3.5, you could write a tale so eloquent that it makes Shakespeare’s collective works look like a pile of stinky crap and yet, if it’s packaged with a cover that looks like it was drawn by weirdoes, no one’s going to bother reading it.

Sure, you might argue, “I’m a writer, not an illustrator!”  And while that’s true, the cover is usually taken by the reader as the first sign as to whether or not you’re taking your craft seriously.  Do you, as an author, understand the burden of keeping an audience happy?  You might fail, or more likely, some of your readers will love what you do and others will despise it, but the key question answered by the cover is whether or not you are at least making an effort to entertain your readers.

That’s why I stand by Bookshelf Q. Battler.  No matter what, he’s at least trying to entertain people.  (Oh, and also, you know, the MP says he’ll make with the vapey vape if I abandon him so there’s that.)

On his blog, PBBPB posts covers from old and lame sci-fi novels, usually published somewhere between 1950-1980.  From his writing style, he’s clearly gifted with a unique sense of humor, one that he uses to lambaste these covers and poke out their failures (as well as their nonsensical plots).

Some of my favorites:

The robot that’s spooning a spaceman. 

Inappropriately placed alien hand.

Metal monster has hots for space babe.

Self-publishers, let this be a lesson for you.  Do your research to find a designer with a proven track record of producing quality book covers, then dig deep into your pockets to pay him.

Otherwise, you might end up with a book cover featuring characters wearing nothing but leather lederhosen, because for some reason, people from the 1950’s to 1980 assumed that space was going to be lousy with people wearing nothing but German S and M bondage gear.

Now then, on to PBBPB’s question:

Mankind has enjoyed and suffered millennia within what is essentially a fish bowl. We look out at the stars which, though distorted by our atmosphere, speak volumes to us from distances likely untraversable in the lifetimes of ourselves or our posterity. Should we, as a species, encounter a traveler from a world who was able to bridge the gap between the cosmic backdrop and our planet, those millenia of history will come crashing down upon the poor being’s head, whether we intend it or not, through interaction and negotiation with us. It isn’t our fault, really, but we’ve only had ourselves to talk to for as long as we’ve lived, and have no operational context with which to engage in first contact. Given the vast differences in our experience, cultural and personal, I have to know—what’s your favorite Earth snack food?

I like it.  So many writers take themselves way too seriously.  This dude is a fresh change of pace.

You pose a question within a question here.

Humans do have a bad habit of envisioning themselves as the only beings in the universe.  You’re right, it’s not your fault. It’s all that you know.  In many ways, I envy you.  You get to go about your lives and focus on the mundane and the trivial without having to be preoccupied by constant Moloklaxon attacks as my species does.

Those Moloklaxons.  Truly, the a-holes of the cosmos.  Don’t even get me started.

Humans, think about it.  You sit on a giant ball in the middle of a vast sea of black nothingness.  Your scientists have determined and demonstrated to you there are other such balls throughout the void.

When you look at all these balls (stop laughing!), how does it not occur to you that there might be sentient life on another ball other than your own?

OK.  You know what?  Fine.  Just keep laughing at the word “ball.”  This is why you people are falling behind the rest of the universe.

Would an alien find it difficult to communicate with you?  Depends on the being.  A Moloklaxon would just eat you.

Meanwhile, I’m able to communicate with you just fine, but I’m a highly advanced being able to express myself in your language.

There are limits.  You can’t pronounce my real name so I have to go with “Alien Jones.”  And I refer to myself as a “he” even though I am junkless, just because your language doesn’t account for the possibility of a sentient life form that isn’t a man or a woman.

Sorry, but I’m too accomplished to allow myself to be referred to as an “it.”

Oh, and I do wish the Mighty Potentate had chosen a forum with more range than a book nerd’s blog that only draws in 3.5 readers, but who am I to question the Mighty One?

To get to the more important question, what is my favorite Earth snack food?

I am partial to funions.  They are delicious and the name on the bag does not deceive for they are made out of (or at least taste like) onions and they are fun.

The Mighty Potentate is partial to buffalo wings, so much so, that he once tried to shoot me out of a cannon directly into our world’s sun because I failed to bring him the requisite blue cheese sauce when I picked up an order for him.

It wasn’t my fault.  They always screw you at the intergalactic drive thru.

See?  We have some of the same problems you do, incompetent fast food workers chief among them.

Finally, my government mandated life partner, Alien Rosencrantz, is a big fan of chili cheese fries.  Luckily, we have very efficient metabolisms so they don’t go straight to his thighs.

You have to have an efficient metabolism when you don’t have a butt, after all.

Thank you for saving me from death by vaporization, PBBPB.  Your name has been added to the protected rolls in the event that one of the Mighty Potentate’s plans for Earth conquest proves successful.

Alien Jones is the Intergalactic Correspondent for the Bookshelf Battle Blog, on a mission to raise Earth’s collective intelligence levels one question at a time. Do you have a question for the Esteemed Brainy One? Tweet it to @bookshelfbattle on Twitter, leave it in the comments on bookshelfbattle.com, or stop by Bookshelf Battle on Google Plus. If he likes your question, he might even promote your book, blog, other project in his answer.

Image courtesy of a shutterstock.com license.

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Take the Smeller vs. Denier Challenge!

Hey 3.5 readers,shutterstock_207933922

Are you enjoying Jake’s latest adventure?  I have to say I am.

For those just tuning in:

Monte Carlo.  1952.  Jake is on his honeymoon with Cajun cutie Muffelia “Muffy” Bordeaux, the second Mrs. Hatcher.

Jake’s never had a better string of luck before.  At home, his private investigation business is booming.  He’s married to a bodacious babe and he’s just won $25,000 at the poker table (which would be great today, but think of that in 1952 money!)

Alas, life throws him a curveball.

While attending a dinner party thrown by his host, Count Rickard, a most unfortunate stench ruins Jake’s otherwise lovely evening.

Sir Rupert Roundtree, the British Secretary of State and Patrice Charbonneau, the French Ambassador to the United Kingdom, each blame the other, claiming the impromptu excretion was intended by the other as an insult.  Each demands war and Hatcher, a veteran of World War II, must uncover the culprit if he wants to fend off World War III.

To complicate matters, Hatcher notices the check for his gambling proceeds is missing.

Who did it?  Was it done to force a third global conflict?  To cover up a check theft?  Or some other unseemly reason?

TAKE THE SMELLER VS. DENIER CHALLENGE!

RULES

  1.  Be over 18.  Young people, I wish you best of luck with your writing, but I don’t want to deal with anyone who doesn’t know what a mortgage is.
  2. Read the story.
  3. Guess who did it and why.
  4. DO NOT put your guess in the comments.  Dudes, spoilers.
  5. ON TWITTER, Direct Message your guesses to @bookshelfbattle
  6. TWEET @bookshelfbattle to let me know you DM’d a guess, otherwise I never pay attention to my DM’s due to the high volume of weirdoes who are trying to sell me time shares and miracle rash cure ointments.
  7. I still have a long way to go before the story is finished, maybe a week or more, so feel free to change your guesses as the story unfolds.
  8. When this all wraps up, Jake will write a column to acknowledge those who guessed right.
  9. If said accurate guessers have books or blogs to plug, he’ll plug away.
  10. Though as always, Attorney Donnelly notes the management reserves the right not to do so if he deems your book to be weird.  So you know, no thanks if your book is “Hooray for Hitler!”
  11. Heck, Jake might even have a heart and plug the losers’ books and blogs too.  Note that you won’t be considered a loser in life, just for purposes of this particular contest.

WHERE TO READ THE STORY

The full story is available on this blog.  I’ve put parts 1-9 together here, 10-12 are up and more will be coming for awhile.

I’ve also been updating it regularly on wattpad.  You may find that format easier to read, especially on a cell phone or tablet.  You don’t have to click around, it’s all right there.

I don’t have an exact date when Jake will finish the story.  This is quite a caper.  Conceivably, it could go into September.

If you send me a guess, I’ll just thank you for your participation.  I’m not able to tell you if you’re right or wrong.  Only Jake knows who did it and my only contact with him is through the exceptionally classy and refined Delilah K. Donnelly, who absolutely refuses to discuss bodily functions with anyone, even if its on my behalf.

So, you know, don’t publicly reveal your guesses until Jake makes his public reveal in the story itself.

If you’re one of the random few who don’t have something to plug but want to guess anyway, feel free to do so.

This is your chance to become an assistant detective.  Scour the story.  Search for clues.  Review the evidence.  Make your determination.

Finally folks, just remember this is all just for fun and a blatant attempt by me to try to get more people to read my stuff so, please don’t get mad or sue me or something.  Attorney Donnelly has enough work to do already.

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