Tig Carson's Blog

 The Full Cover art for VOLUME II by the talented and super cool:  BRAD ALSTON

 Seems People are enjoying the book!

Check out: "THE VENTURES OF HERO 143"

Sketching Out Your World

I found out early on that sketching out scenes helped to keep some order to the chaos of writing. Recently, I found a few old sketches for my book. They were a HUGE help, and it was fun to look back and see what had changed since drawing them.

The"Bottomless Well"

(Sketch from the early 2000s)

Sketching out the Bottomless Well helped me quite a bit. It helped slow the scene down in my head and visualize the movie into the next chapter.

By the way, you don't have to be good at drawing... as you can clearly see... it's just a tool to help YOU keep your world in order. 

The Female Earthling's Ship!

(Sketch from the late 90s)

Sketching out the ship helped visualize the locations, and how the characters got from here to there.Today I realized her ship is basically a flying Fender guitar with sweet flair.
So, my advice to YOU... sketch it out. Sketch it all out. Tig out.
You can buy the book HERE:The Ventures of Hero 143 (Vol I): Carson, Tig: 9781724616838: Amazon.com: Books

 THE ART OF IT ALL

art by the talented: 

BRAD ALSTON

"The book is funny, quirky and quite imaginative."
- ananya92


"I could see myself at 14, in bed with a flashlight, reading this late into the night."
- Gregory D. Watts


"Rusty is one of the best robots in all of science fiction." 
 - Perihelion Online Science Fiction Magazine 


 "This was an amazing romp in a creative space universe! I felt a link to the alien "Dean" from the very beginning, and it only intensified the more I read."
- Tonja Klein


"Great story! Awesome character illustrations. My 12 and 13 year old boys also read this book and enjoyed it, and they are hard to impress."
- Amazon Customer


"How often is science fiction laugh-out-loud funny? What a rare find this story is! Not just little Dean but all the characters are well developed with depth and unique, memorable traits."
- Carol Kean


"There are plenty of plot twists and questions that will keep you engaged right to the end. A fantastic read that was more than a story; it was an experience. I can't recommended it enough."
- JV


"This imaginative story is epic involving several planets, each with its own culture. There are heroic deaths, pathos, humor, adventure, war, you name it. A ripping tale for a cold winter night by the fire."



"This book was a blast to read, with memorable characters that will leave you waiting to meet them again..."
- 



**SPOILER ALERT!**
 The following reviews may dig too deep into the book 
for some readers. 


Read the Full Review Here:


Link to Official review: http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=25928


More to Come!!!

This past weekend, I had my very first book signing.
The event took place at the Jackson Library in New Jersey, and ended up being both a great time, and one heck of a learning experience.


From the get-go, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I'd spent the night before rehearsing and worrying about what I should bring.
Then, it was time... I packed up my stuff and headed out the door, a stranger in a strange land.
Aside from me and a few others, most of the authors at the event had been doing this for years. Most had personalized table cloths and stacks of 'ready to be signed' books for the masses. While I struggled with how close to put my free bookmarks to my novel, they hummed along like a fine tuned machine. It was pretty awesome.
We were given an hour to set up (it took me about five minutes) and mingle with the other authors. There were a few familiar faces at the other tables, friends from a local writing group I attended on a semi-regular basis. Everyone else was a stranger to me. 
Strangers, until we got to talking. 
Everyone was friendly, and eager to hand out advice. We shared stories about how we got here, pondered how many people would show up, and discussed our shared dread of speaking in front of a crowd. I also ended up buying quite a few books from some amazing authors.
 And when it was my turn to get up and talk in front of the crowd, well... I must admit, I can't really remember what I said. 
I'm pretty sure I performed my "rehearsed the night-before" routine. I know I messed up saying the word "exhumed" while reading from my own book. I also realized I need practice looking at the crowd while I talk.
I also had to pee really bad, which I chose to resolve at the podium, by letting everyone know that I had to go pee really bad. (Talk about an ice-breaker.)
All part of the learning experience, I suppose.
Here Are Some Things I Learned:

You must learn to talk in front of people Nobody seems to think they're good, or feels comfortable with, talking in front of a crowd. In fact, the ones I enjoyed listening to most seemed to think they were the worst. This made me feel more comfortable with my uncomfortableness.  Develop a routine Most people had a fine-tuned routine that they perfected over time. Some told a joke to break the ice, others told stories about their lives. Some did both. Either way, a routine seemed to be the key to getting your point across, and keeping the crowd engaged.
Set a time - don't talk too long
I noticed the most effective authors (determined by who kept my attention the longest) were those who did the above in under ten minutes - including a short reading from one of their books.
Relax, and be yourself
The most effective authors were those who were best at selling themselves. If I liked the author, I was more inclined to check out their work. If someone came off as fake, I lost interest.
I said, "relax, and be yourself!" The authors with the most passion for their work were the ones that stood out. Be yourself, and the rest will fall into place.


In the end, it was a great experience. I met a ton of new people, sold a good amount of books, discovered some awesome new authors, and learned a lot from some old pros. And I can't be more thankful.
I'm looking forward to the next!  Hope to see you there!

Don't Eat the Grot!

This past weekend, I had my very first book signing.
The event took place at the Jackson Library in New Jersey, and ended up being both a great time, and one heck of a learning experience.


From the get-go, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I'd spent the night before rehearsing and worrying about what I should bring.
Then, it was time... I packed up my stuff and headed out the door, a stranger in a strange land.
Aside from me and a few others, most of the authors at the event had been doing this for years. Most had personalized table cloths and stacks of 'ready to be signed' books for the masses. While I struggled with how close to put my free bookmarks to my novel, they hummed along like a fine tuned machine. It was pretty awesome.
We were given an hour to set up (it took me about five minutes) and mingle with the other authors. There were a few familiar faces at the other tables, friends from a local writing group I attended on a semi-regular basis. Everyone else was a stranger to me. 
Strangers, until we got to talking. 
Everyone was friendly, and eager to hand out advice. We shared stories about how we got here, pondered how many people would show up, and discussed our shared dread of speaking in front of a crowd. I also ended up buying quite a few books from some amazing authors.
 And when it was my turn to get up and talk in front of the crowd, well... I must admit, I can't really remember what I said. 
I'm pretty sure I performed my "rehearsed the night-before" routine. I know I messed up saying the word "exhumed" while reading from my own book. I also realized I need practice looking at the crowd while I talk.
I also had to pee really bad, which I chose to resolve at the podium, by letting everyone know that I had to go pee really bad. (Talk about an ice-breaker.)
All part of the learning experience, I suppose.
Here Are Some Things I Learned:

You must learn to talk in front of people Nobody seems to think they're good, or feels comfortable with, talking in front of a crowd. In fact, the ones I enjoyed listening to most seemed to think they were the worst. This made me feel more comfortable with my uncomfortableness.  Develop a routine Most people had a fine-tuned routine that they perfected over time. Some told a joke to break the ice, others told stories about their lives. Some did both. Either way, a routine seemed to be the key to getting your point across, and keeping the crowd engaged.
Set a time - don't talk too long
I noticed the most effective authors (determined by who kept my attention the longest) were those who did the above in under ten minutes - including a short reading from one of their books.
Relax, and be yourself
The most effective authors were those who were best at selling themselves. If I liked the author, I was more inclined to check out their work. If someone came off as fake, I lost interest.
I said, "relax, and be yourself!" The authors with the most passion for their work were the ones that stood out. Be yourself, and the rest will fall into place.


In the end, it was a great experience. I met a ton of new people, sold a good amount of books, discovered some awesome new authors, and learned a lot from some old pros. And I can't be more thankful.
I'm looking forward to the next!  Hope to see you there!



Tig Carson is the author of the Sci-Fi Adventure Book Series:
A SPACE STORY 

(Volume II) out this SUMMER!
Don't Eat the Grot!

UPDATE TIME!
I know it's been a while since I last posted, but I have a legit excuse... I've been hard at work on VOLUME II of A SPACE STORY. In fact, I'm smack in the middle of writing one of the most exciting scenes in the whole book. 

(I took a break from writing to post this update. I hope you're all happy with yourselves.)

Oh, by the way... did you happen to notice the banner at the top of the post? It's a little Sneak-Peak of some new characters in Volume II... and old favorites from the series. Art by the talented: Adam Barutis

I've also been busy preparing for a fun event that's taking place in New Jersey at the end of the month:


If anyone is in the area, please stop by and say hello. 
I also have some cool swag to hand out.
 
Okay, back to writing!

If you would like to share a pic
Grab 'A SPACE STORY' 
(even if it's a digital copy) 
Snap a pic, and send it our way! Heck, Send Two!


Send them to:
aspacestory01@gmail.com
-or-
Post them on Twitter:
@ASpaceStory01
@TigCarson
Or Facebook:


The Sillier, the Better!

 Cowabunga Dude! Thanks for sharing the awesome pic! 
Glad to see Raphael enjoying a good read.

 
Bob sent THIS photo after receiving his copy! Thanks BOB! 
(And don't eat the grot!)

Lucy decided to take a shot at this reading thing... 
Thanks Joe for sending the pic! Hope you and Lucy enjoy the story! 
Keep Lucy away from the Grot!
A fan sent this pic of her daughter sharing a read with her unicorn friend! 
(I was told unicorns enjoy the story as well)
Thanks for the awesome pic!
 Some Really BIG fans sent this pic. 
What an awesome Bookmark! 
I want one!
Thanks for sharing! 

His mom said he hasn't put it down since he got it! 
Maybe he was playing with glue? HA! 
Thanks for sending the awesome pic!

It's nice to see kids AND adults reading A SPACE STORY. 
Thanks for the pic!


It doesn't get any cooler than knowing that ALF is getting in on the action! 
Thanks for the pic, Alf!

Hey, Stay Out of the Bobber-Fields!

Even Hedgehogs enjoy a good read every once in a while! 
Thanks for the pic! LOL!



----------------------------------------------------------------
Do you have a cool pic to share?

Send them to:
aspacestory01@gmail.com
-or-
Post them on Twitter:
@ASpaceStory01
@TigCarson
Or Facebook:

Today I received my very first fan-mail!
And, it was way cooler than I could have ever imagined! 





The fan-mail was from a brother and sister,
both who read and loved A SPACE STORY!


But, not ONLY did I get TWO awesome fan-letters in the same day, but I also got the raddest maze-art I've ever seen. 

Hmm... looks familiar. That's because it's an "aMAZEin' SPACE STORY" Maze!!! 
How cool is that!
The A-maze-ing art was done by Mark Stuart Gagnon - and was inside the package with the letters.

 Mark Stuart Gagnon's card was inside.   You can find him on Twitter here:@theartistmsg
It was a surreal moment for me. 
As a writer, you hope to make a connection with your readers. So, when you get something like this it really means a lot, and makes what you do worthwhile.

These two letters, and the art, will hang on the wall of my office until the day I pass on to the great unknown.

I couldn't be more thankful. :)
 

(Now, if you will excuse me - I must go get Vol. 2 done... so Domenick and Vanessa can see what happens when Dean meets 'Kwyneplaine'... I've said too much.)