Clik here to view.
The Doors of (Self-)Perception: Closing One to Open Another
I’ve opened and closed a lot of doors in my life. When I was a boy, I wanted to be an artist. A comic book artist, specifically. I spent hours copying the covers of my favorite Batman issues and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Nine Tomorrows: Great Graphic Novels of the Not-So-Distant Future
Many years ago while perusing the shelves of the old Twelfth Street Books in Manhattan, I stumbled on an anthology of short science fiction stories by Isaac Asimov called Nine Tomorrows. I became...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“Where Do You Find the Time?” Six Steps to a More Productive Life
The other day, my very good friend Troy sent me a message on Facebook, and in it he asked me (and this isn’t the first time he’s asked this) how I manage to find time to do all the things I do. As many...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My October Country: Trading in Meat Loaf for Bloody Kisses
October is one of my favorite months, and many years ago, it used to be my favorite month of all. The time of Halloween, of changing leaves. A time for light jackets and pumpkin picking, fresh apple...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Brief Meditation on the Connections that Create Us
It’s been said that everything in life happens for a reason, and that reason is always for the best. I subscribe to this philosophy wholeheartedly, since it’s yet to let me down. Through my brief...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Professors Never Bow Out –– Only in New Directions
So here we are, folks –– my first Hat & Soul post of 2013! This is also my first blog post as a former professor. Three weeks ago, I launched out into a brand new career with the crowdfunding...
View ArticleClik here to view.
CrowdRaiser: How a Video Game Taught Me All I Know About Belief
One of my all-time favorite video games as a kid was ActRaiser for Super Nintendo, though I wasn’t fully aware of it until a couple weeks ago. The story revolves around The Master, who, having been...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Five Too Few: Dynamo 5 and the Legacy in Need of a Renaissance
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved superhero comics. And yes, I’m talking mostly about the mainstreamers –– Batman and Robin, Green Arrow, Superman, and Wonder Woman. I also have a pretty strong...
View ArticleClik here to view.
From Auteur to Author, Part 3: Crowdfunding for Filmmakers Comes Full Circle
The circle is now complete –– I’m officially an author! On Saturday, April 6th, I had my first-ever book signing for Crowdfunding for Filmmakers: The Way to a Successful Film Campaign, published by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Φιλότιμο: Not Without Understanding When Felt Within
A couple Saturdays a month, I try and spend some time with a dear friend of my family’s named Maria. She owns a small Greek bakery on Central Avenue in Union City called Liberty Brand Pastries and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Tale of Two Cons, Part One: Comic-Con International, San Diego
Some of you may have realized that I haven’t written a new blog post in about two months. Believe me, it’s not that I’d forgotten or because I’ve given up the writer’s Way… Read More →
View ArticleClik here to view.
Goals Versus Commitment in Crowdfunding for Indie Film
The other day, my girlfriend Marinell told me about an interview she read in The New York Times with Hugh Martin on “The Importance of Commitments.” I took a gander at this interview… Read More →
View ArticleClik here to view.
Linklatering Perfekt, Plus Five Lessons to Perfect Your Filmmaking
Yesterday morning, my body instinctively woke me up at 6AM, which would normally be 7AM, but due to daylight savings time it was an hour earlier. And as I lay in my bed,… Read More →
View ArticleClik here to view.
I Believe in Lonesome Rhodes: Dual Natures and Darkening Knights
Confession: I’m hooked on the 1957 classic A Face in the Crowd, starring Andy Griffith as Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes, a humble folk singer from the country who quickly becomes corrupted by the fourth...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What Exactly Is a “Hipster Noir,” You Ask?
Well, I’m happy to report that I’m finally able to tell you all what exactly a “hipster noir” is, now that I’ve finished the brief synopsis of my very first supernatural, metaphysical mystery novel....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Robots I Can Recall and the Robo Force I Can’t
I’ll be the first to admit it –– I had an amazing childhood. Being the baby of the family, my Mom, Dad, and siblings always wanted me to have the best. In fact, some of my fondest childhood memories...
View ArticleClik here to view.
This is What a “Hipster Noir” Novel Will Look Like
So I’ve written a novel. So what? The question that perturbs me day and night is this: Can I actually be writing a novel without being an avid reader of novels? Well, the answer I’ve come up with is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
#TypeOctober: Re-Discovering the Genius of Type O Negative
My good pal Timo Voruensola Tweeted something the other day that made me smile big: Happy 1st of Type O-Ctober. May it be dark, rainy, windy and depressing. http://t.co/TlrtGBGBrS #typeoctober — Timo...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Ninjas We Know (And Those We Don’t See)
Let’s face it –– ninjas are awesome. I hadn’t thought about this fact for a while, honestly, but the majority of kids, men-children and adults are fascinated by these fully masked assassins who stalk...
View ArticleClik here to view.
37 Steps Toward My Thirty-Seventh Year
I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t it The 39 Steps, Trig? Yes, The 39 Steps is the title of the Alfred Hitchcock film, but this month, I’m turning thirty-seven years old, and I wanted to write...
View Article