2015 was a whopper of a year, for reasons both good and bad.  On the positive side, this past year included the start of working for DUO Media Productions, participating in the Baltimore 48 Film Festival with Star Wipe Films, who also debuted their short film Apocalypse Rock at the AFI Silver Theatre.  I was only briefly involved with the film (providing a voice-over towards the end of post production), but I’d be a big fan either way.  I joined the team at the TIVA Peer Awards Ceremony, at which film took home several awards, including the Gold for Best Independent Short, Editing, Acting on Camera (fiction), Silver for Production Design and Sound Design.  The Forge Studios (The Rangers, Outlawed Faith) has become a full-time production house, and I’m fortunate to continue to play as part of their extended team. I’m very excited to see what 2016 holds for all of us.

On the personal side, I took a trip to New York to see the fabulous Thrilling Adventure Hour shows; Beyond Belief and POW! Sparks Nevada Live.  I have continued to embrace my draw to cosplay, attending both Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore Comic Con.  I’ve continued to finesse and expand my Tenth Doctor cosplay (which will probably always be my favorite) and I’ve delved into the brainstorming for future characters, including a genderbend take on one of the Miser Brothers and a crossover between Green Lantern and Star Wars based on fanart I saw at Awesome Con by artist ModHero.  Oh, and I finished the first draft of the Genre Wars novel this year, which is currently in the hands of some awesome beta readers.

That novel has been the primary focus and outlet for rather a large majority of my creative energy, and now, in its wake, I find myself at a bit of a loss.  I’m still connected to the project, but not able to actively work on it until the notes return in full and I can begin the next step: revision and rewrite.  Until then, I’m in unfamiliar territory: unable to continue, but also unable to begin something new, so as not to become too deeply involved in another project entirely.  And the truth is that my head is still far too wrapped up in Kabathan and its people to really embrace a new world or characters.  I can multi-task when necessary, but I prefer to work by completely enveloping my concentration into one endeavor.

So, as something of a new venture, I’ve joined forces with friend and colleague H.L. Shelper to start a podcast, which will be a review and discussion over what we consider classics, beloved by us and many audiences of varying demographics.  Release will be a long way off; we’ve only just begun the research and recording, but it’s a creative outlet of a kind I’ve never before explored and between it, working for DUO Media, Star Wipe Films, The Forge and cosplay, I believe I have enough on my plate to stay occupied until Genre Wars circles back into my sights again.

Happy New Year, y’all.  Bring on 2016!!!

… oh, and Star Wars happened.  That was awesome.