Guest post with Matt Myklusch and THE ACCIDENTAL HERO giveaway!

Today is such an exciting day for me because today I am trading blogs with another fellow author, comic lover, and Upstart Crower, Matt Myklusch! And because Matt is made of awesome, he has generously offered to give away a signed copy of his book THE ACCIDENTAL HERO. For details on how to enter, see the end of this post.
And now, without further ado, I'll leave you with Matt. If you want to catch my post on sexism and the evolving female superhero, I'll be over at Matt's blog.

People always ask me where I get my ideas from. The answer is simple really:

Everywhere.

Ideas come from the news, songs, historical events, movies, books, and just plain out of the blue. Life is an inspiration, and I’m easily inspired. I’ve been like this ever since I was a kid. Growing up, I would read comic books and watch movies and TV shows like G.I. Joe or the Transformers and immediately want to create my own characters and stories. I would see something I like and say, “I want to do my own version of that.” I wanted to make my own Indiana Jones. My own Star Wars. My own X-Men.

That was a big one. The X-Men.

When I was nine, I read my first X-Men comic book. It was Uncanny X-Men # 211. I remember the exact issue because it was the start of what is now a famous storyline called “The Mutant Massacre.” There was a badass team of villains called The Marauders that got introduced in that issue. They all had awesome powers and code names.

The X-Men team at point in time was one of their better lineups as well (they have good years and bad years… kind of like SNL casts). Wolverine was even still wearing his far superior brown and orange costume back then.

Bottom line, these guys had the edge on The Marauders, but just barely. It made for some great action, and those first few books I read locked me in as a comic fan for life. This is about the time that I started creating my own superhero universe. Some of my early superhero creations include characters like CRUSHER:

I don’t remember much about this guy, but I expect he was supposed to be super strong. The next few characters have more obvious powers. Meet POWER SAW:

I’m not sure how this character would have ever picked his nose or gone to the bathroom... I guess I wasn’t thinking that far ahead. Then, there was FIRESTARTER, who had the worst mask in the history of comics:

It’s funny looking back on these guys now, but when I was a kid, I thought I’d caught lightning in a bottle with these characters. I thought you could get a job selling superhero ideas to Marvel and DC Comics, and planned on making a long career out of doing just that. By the time I got to High School I found out there was no such job, and set my sights on being a comic book penciler instead.

That didn’t happen.

There was actually a stretch in High School where I stopped reading comics and stopped drawing altogether. It lasted at least a year. The reason was because I was “growing up.” I was the only one of my friends who was still into comic books and I figured it was time for me to put childish things aside. Luckily, Jim Lee convinced me otherwise.

Not personally. He did it through his artwork. One day I saw the following X-Men comic book on a shelf in a WaldenBooks (for those of you who remember WaldenBooks):

I was blown away. The detail, action, and pure awesomeness of this image woke me up and got me inspired all over again. It got me reading comics again. It got me drawing again.

It’s a good thing too, because a lot of the characters I created after that found their way into the pages of my book, THE ACCIDENTAL HERO. There are far too many heroes and villains living in the Imagine Nation to list here, but I’ll show you a few of my favorites.

PRIME:

CHI:

REVILE:

Today, I make my living as a writer, but I still think of myself as an artist first. For me, every story starts out with a pencil and a sketch pad. I draw the characters, locations, and anything else that comes to mind. Somewhere along the line, I figured out that artwork was the first step in my creative process. It’s hard to believe I almost shut that process down before it ever really got going.

Matt Myklusch is the author of the JACK BLANK ADVENTURES, a middle grade fantasy series from Simon & Schuster. Book One, THE ACCIDENTAL HERO, is in stores now. Find out more at JackBlank.com









And now for the chocolate on the sundae! Matt is giving away a signed copy of the first book in his JACK BLANK SERIES; THE ACCIDENTAL HERO. Seriously, revel in the cover. Isn't it awesome!

Here's how to enter:

We're not going to make you follow, tweet, or blog about the giveaway (but we sure would appreciate it if you did!) All you have to do is leave a comment below this post with the name of a character from THE ACCIDENTAL HERO along with your email address so we can contact you if you win. And because Matt is so awesome, he's agreed to make this an open book test. If you're looking for the answers, a great place would be to start at www.JACKBLANK.com. A random winner will be drawn from a list of participants who left correct responses. 

Trust me guys, if you're a fan of comics, you won't want to miss out on this book.

Write Like an X-MEN: Black Cat

Okay, so I realize that Black Cat isn't one of the X-Men but she's still a superhero.

Er...alright, so she's not always a superhero, but she's still wicked cool and can teach us a thing or two about writing.

1. Don't Get Mad - Get EVEN

When Felica Harday (aka Black Cat) was only a freshman in college, she was date-raped by her then boyfriend, Ryan. Instead of falling to pieces, Felicia decided to empower herself with intensive training sessions in martial arts and acrobatics. By choosing to better herself instead of succumbing to pain, Black Cat was able to hone her fighting skills to make her an even match for such super-villains as Dr. Octopus, Sabertooth, and even Carnage.
What we can learn from Black Cat: Rejections hurt. There's no way around it. The blow they deal to your confidence can be enough to make any writer feel like throwing in the towel. (I should know, I've had over a hundred.)But instead of curling into fetal position and rocking yourself in a dark room, take the rejections for what they really are - an opportunity to better yourself. Take the time to improve your writing, honing your skills until your a force to be reckoned with. If you don't, then the rejection has won.

2. There Are No Shortcuts

After Black Cat fell in love with Spider-Man she promised to give up her cat-burglary ways. She began patrolling the city with him in an effort to fight crime. The problem was, Spider-Man was often confronted with super-villains with super powers, something that Felicia didn't have. After Spider-Man was seriously injured tyring to protect her during an attack, she decided that her lack of super powers made hers a liability to Spider-Man. Desperate to keep Spider-Man in her life, Felicia sought out the assistance of the Kingpin. Unfortunately, her new super powers - a bad luck jinx - turned infectious and began to infect Spider-Man, which was exactly what the Kingpin had wanted all along.
What we can learn from Black Cat: Sure, we look at all our favorite authors and want so badly to be where they are. So, when a so-called agent says they can make you a best-seller and all it will take is a wad of cash, the offer can be enticing. Just know this, there are no short-cuts in publishing. There is no one you can pay to make you a success. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a crook.

3. Sure, It Looks Good On The Outside...

From the moment Felicia met Spider-Man he was what she wanted. She altered her life for him; gave up her criminal ways, fought by his side, and even had herself altered so that she might have super powers. So in love was Felicia...until the day Peter took off his mask.
What we can learn from Black Cat: Being a published author looks so cool, right? You get to be famous, go to book signings, and make tons of money...Er, on second thought, let's have a look behind the mask. The odds of achieving the fandom the likes of Stephanie Meyer and J.K. Rowling are, quite literally, one-in-a-million. The ugly truth is, most authors don't make enough to quit their days jobs. There are no throngs of screaming fans in line for their book signings and they're lucky if their postman recognizes them by sight. Sure, the outside package might look good but you really have to love the ugly underneath (the actual writing) if you're going to make it work.



4. Revenge Is NEVER The Answer

When Felicia learned that Spider-Man was really Peter Parker she freaked. She was afraid that learning Peter's true identity would ruin their relationship. Also, she didn't understand why Peter would hide his true identity to the world and pretend to be a normal guy. So, she broke up with him. Unfortunately, once Peter was out of her life Felicia realized that she did love him, regardless of who he was. The problem was, in the time it took her to realize this, Peter married Mary Jane. Furious and broken-hearted, Felicia set about making Mary Jane's life miserable with her nonstop threats and harassment - thereby driving a permanent wedge between her and Peter.
What we can learn from Black Cat: Revenge is never the answer. Even when you've slaved for years on your masterpiece only to have an agent reject it in a matter of days, repress the urge to write them an email full of choice words. Agents talk. If you make yourself known as the crazy who writes hateful emails, the chances of you landing an agent - despite your writing talents - is next to nil.

That's all for this week's Write Like An X-Men. If you want more Black Cat be sure to check out Marvel's Amazing Spider-Man where she makes regular guest appearances.

Write Like an X-Men

If you aren't familiar with Jean Grey or the X-Men, don't fear. The following video will tell you everything you need to know.



So, without further adieu:

EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WRITING I LEARNED FROM JEAN GREY


1. Just because you're sitting on the sidelines now, doesn't mean you can't move up to the majors.

Jean Grey was one of the original Uncanny X-Men. But in the beginning, there was nothing uncanny about her. Sure, she was telekinetic, but she had a lame-o name (Marvel Girl), had a cringe-worthy costume, and was a total novice. Whenever the big bad showed up, she had to take a backseat to the - more powerful - boys. After all, we can't risk breaking a fingernail, right girls? Wrong! Luckily, Jean Grey hung in there. Turns out she was more powerful than all of them put together, she just needed time to hone her powers. Later in the series she joined with the Phoenix Force to become an Omega-level mutant - powerful enough to destroy entire universes. Here, Cyclops, hold my purse. I have to save your ass. Again.

What we can learn from Jean: Everyone has to start somewhere. Sure, it can be intimidating browsing bookstores and seeing the shelves lined with heavy-hitting NY Times best-selling authors - but you can't let that stop you. "I don't want to get hurt!" you say. Well, then you're going to have to sit on the bench. But if you want to play the game, take your time, perfect your craft, and build yourself up. If you don't allow yourself to give up, who knows what levels you can reach?

2. You CAN overcome rejection.

Boy has Jean faced some rejection in her life. Imagine, wandering inside your arch-rival's head and finding out that your husband is in there too, half-naked, having a telepathic affair. Oh, snap! Did Jean get angry? Yeah, she ranted and raved for a bit. But in the end, the rejection allowed her to reevaluate her life, in particular, her relationships. She realized that her marriage hadn't been working for quite some time, and that Emma (Frost) - even though she a major b*%ch - really did love Scott (Cyclops). The split also allowed Jean to realize her true feelings for Logan (Wolverine). So, what could have been a horrible situation, Jean used to better herself.

What we can learn from Jean: That rejection isn't the end of all. Yes, it hurts. And yes, you're allowed to rant about it (in the privacy of your own home). Just make sure you use it for the opportunity that it is. So the agent rejected you because they didn't connect with your characters? Great! Now you have an opportunity to work on your voice and come away from the experience a stronger writer.

3. Only YOU can do what YOU do.

In the mini-series, ENDSONG, Emma Frost tries to host Jean's power - the Phoenix Force - inside her body. But, much to my amusement, this doesn't work out so well. The power is too great for Emma to handle and it almost burns her alive from the inside out.

What we can learn from Jean: So, you were browsing Publisher's Marketplace and read that someone just sold their aquatic vampire bunny novel when you just started writing an epic aquatic vampire bunny novel. Does that mean you should shelve your idea? Heck no! You're unique. Nobody is going to be able to copy your style and voice. Your power is your own.

4. When the pressure is too great, don't be afraid to lean on your FRIENDS.

Friends don't come any better than Logan. He's in love with Jean, and yet, he's killed her half a dozen times. Why?!? you ask. Because Jean asked him too. When Jean and Logan were catapulting toward the sun, while Logan was fine thanks to his healing powers, Jean was in agony. She begged him to kill her and end her suffering. After a lot of kissing, he agreed. So she died in his arms. Later, in ENDSONG, when Jean rose from the grave, the Phoenix Force turned her into Dark Phoenix, an entity that thirsted for destruction and death. Driven insane, Jean had a brief moment of clarity where she was able to beg Wolverine to kill her so she wouldn't hurt anyone. And he did. Again. And again. And again. (You see where this is going.)

What we can learn from Jean: When in doubt - seek some shreddage from a friend. If your queries are coming back with all rejections, enlist the help of a critique group or writing society. Websites and forums can also be an excellent source of information and help. Just remember, it's better to seek help from other writers rather than friends and family members. True crit-buddies aren't afraid to make you bleed.

5. There is no END, only new BEGINNINGS.


Anyone who knows anything about a Phoenix knows that they die only to emerge from the ashes anew. The same goes for Jean. Each time she dies she comes back that much stronger.

What we can learn from Jean: There is no end, only new beginnings. So, you queried every agent in the Query Tracker database and received nothing but rejections - is it the end? Of that novel, maybe. But it's not the end for you. Start again. Emerge from the ashes a stronger writer, a stronger you.





And lastly, I leave you with this picture because, not only does it makes me swoon, but it's about time they let a girl be on top. Hee :D