I recently had the pleasure of
doing my very first meet, greet, and book signing. My late Mom would have been so proud. A small framed picture of her sat on the display table, so she was with me in spirit. My event took place at an amazing comic book store called Comic Carnival. It’s the equal of any store you’d find in Tokyo or Paris, both of which are well known meccas for comics. However, this store is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Indy to some, Naptown to others) I’ve never seen another store quite like it. It should be considered a designated tourist stop. So, it was a great honor for me. In addition, I also did my first interview. It was kind of weird. I wasn’t expecting it, so I felt really awkward. For one thing, I’m used to being on the other side of the table… and the camera for that matter. But I did my best.
I never planned on being a writer. It’s something that happened by accident in my third act. So, I never thought I’d be meeting, greeting, or signing anything. Again, I think of my Mom. All her life, she told me that I should be a writer. I wish I had listened.
When I was interviewed, I mentioned that I’d met the great writer/director/painter, Clive Barker, years ago in… Indianapolis. I thought of him often during my event because he’s always been a big hero of mine. Aside from being a multi-talented artist, he’s SUPER productive. He’s always cranking out some kind of product. Whether it’s books, screenplays, paintings or whatever, Mr. Barker stays busy. He’s long been my example of what an artist should be. Creativity involves as much perspiration as inspiration; actually more. This is a fact that most people and even many artists don’t understand. My personal commandment has always been, “To be is to do”. If you’re not doing it, then don’t say that you are. During an interview, Mr. Barker once said something along the lines of, “There are no potential writers. The real writers just get on with the job of writing”. And he’s right, of course. Now that I’m writing, Mr. Barker’s influence is bigger than ever.
I’ve actually met Mr. Barker twice.
The first time was at a Horrorhound convention in Indianapolis. It was sometime during the mid 2000s. I had just started writing my first novel, Ravendiablo. The convention was held in February, which is a bad month to be in Indianapolis. Regardless, I flew in from Vegas where I was living for the event. The temperature was freezing cold. The waiting line for Mr. Barker stretched out the door. I gladly waited in that line… outside… for two hours. Once I got inside, I waited another two hours. I’m not complaining either. I would have waited as long as necessary to meet him. Sometimes, meeting your heroes can be tricky. Heroes can be assholes. When you live in Vegas, it’s not unusual to meet famous people. They either live there or party there. I’ve encountered more than a few celebrity orifices.
Clive Barker more than lived up to my expectations. When I told him I was writing my first novel, he was genuinely supportive. Years later, I met him again when he was doing a signing at a bookstore in L.A.. By then, Ravendiablo had been published and I presented him with a signed copy. Again, he was genuinely supportive. I haven’t seen him since, but I wish I could tell him how much his support has meant to me through the years. My latest novel is called Wack City. It’s a both a novel and a collection of short stories, all set in Las Vegas. Clive Barker first emerged on the scene with a collection of short stories called The Books of Blood.
Wack City is dedicated to Clive Barker.