(Photo by Hay Dmitriy for Deposit Photos).
As summer winds down and we begin to head into fall, I’m gearing up for a busy season. Rock Gods & Messy Monsters launches on September 7th and there’s still so much work to do.
I’ll be at the Dent conference in Santa Fe from September 11 – 13. And I’ll be hanging out and selling books at the Amazing Comic Con in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 16 – 18. Stop by if you’re in either area!
If you’re interested in reading Rock Gods, you can now pre-order the ebook at $4.99 or download a copy (depending on when you read this). I’m still waiting on my Library of Congress Control Number, so the paperback isn’t quite ready as of Aug 29th. Hopefully the print version will be online and ready to go in a few days.
If you get the Rock Gods, please let me know what you think – and who you think the main target audience is I should go for.
(The countdown video teaser for the book release. Video design by Kri Pelletier @firehorsewest)
In case you missed anything this month, you can catch up by reading:
- Happy First Anniversary “Next Draft” (part 2) – Where I hope to take the newsletter over the next year or two.
- Happy First Anniversary Next Draft (part 1) – A look back over the first year of Next Draft with Diane Hatz.
- Indie Publishing – Bands have been starting up and recording on indie labels for decades. It’s time writers do the same. An explanation of what indie publishing is.
- Higher Self – Do You Have One? – What is your Higher Self and how you might connect with that part of you.
- Next Draft Zine – August 2022 – Just in case you missed last month’s zine and wanted to catch up.
Here I share cool and/or interesting things I come across during the month.
Max’s Kansas City Cocktails
It’s hard to explain exactly who and what Henry Hargreaves is – he’s a photographer, video maker, and wacky creative artist who has one of the most unique ways of looking at the world. One of his latest projects is re-creating drinks from the famed Max’s Kansas City.
As Henry says, “In New York, in the mid-’70s, there was no place cooler than Max’s Kansas City. A bar and music venue that was the epicenter of the glam and punk scenes. I stumbled across their original cocktail list recently (it was being sold at auction….). All the cocktails were named after bands that played there, and the drink descriptions were outrageous! I wanted to bring this back to life how I imagined it may have happened.”
The work is a collaboration between Henry Hargreaves and Charlotte Omnes. These are people you should follow!
House of the Dragon
Is anyone a George RR Martin and/or Game of Thrones fan? If so, House of the Dragon started airing on HBO a couple weeks ago (Sundays at 9pm). It’s a prequel to Game of Thrones. I have to be honest, I can never follow who is who and end up losing the storyline a few times an episode, but I was drawn in from the start and enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.
They’ve amped up the sound effects to the violent scenes, so I not only have to look away during them, I also have to turn off the sound. And even with that, I was drawn to the characters and the story. I love how you can see the family resemblance, and the costumes and scenery are why I watch.
HBO publicity image
George RR Martin has said that he doesn’t know where his ideas come from. I believe that whether you like his work or not, he’s a genius at what he does. Does anyone else feel the same? Or differently?
Have a wonderful week, and I’ll catch you next Wednesday (a day late because of Labor Day – and it’s the official release date for Rock Gods & Messy Monsters.
If you’d like to stay in touch, please do!
- I’ve created a mailing list separate from Substack for all things book (though I’m sure they’ll merge at some point). Please join if you’d like to stay up-to-date on all the special events, contests, and goings on around the release and promotion of Rock Gods.
- Please subscribe now if you aren’t subscribed to Next Draft with Diane Hatz. (free and paid)
- If you’re Facebook-friendly, please follow and like my Facebook author page!
- And there’s the usual: