Is This Happiness?
Since returning home from AWP, I’ve been beaming with positivity and I feel reinvigorated. Just look at these cards I pulled for myself from the Thoth deck. I asked my cards what the universe wants me to know and this is a powerful spread. It’s crazy how happy I’ve been. I haven’t been this happy in years. I take this as a clear sign that I’m moving in the right direction but I’m also aligned with my purpose. Engaging with my creativity, being an author, and slinging books. Something about the trip combined with inner work has deepened my motivation and moved aside any lingering fears about Project Bunny Bloodbath. In the immortal words of Big Daddy Kane—ain’t no half steppin. We’re big steppas around here, that includes the entire Broken River Books crew.
Speaking of the Broken River Books crew, go follow the new IG here. For new subscribers who wandered over here, a portion of you most likely met me at AWP. I’m a vital leg of the Broken River Books militia and author of Bullet Tooth, God’s Leftovers, Black Gypsies, The Motorpapi Chronicles, and more. In other words, I write dope books and I’m happy to see you here.
I learned a lot from AWP. I’ve helped sell books at the Eraserhead Books table back in 2016, but I wasn’t officially part of their table. That was part of my Bizarro era, when I wrote Notes from the Guts of a Hippo and A Lightbulb’s Lament.
Here are a few takeaways I learned this go round…
Engage people. I walked around the convention and some people just stared at their phone when I physically picked up books and flipped through the interior. It made me not want to come back even if the book looked good.
Have some excitement when talking about your books and your friends’ books. This type of energy is infectious and translates over to readers.
Bring some merch and swag like bookmarks, business cards, stickers, tarot cards etc. People were losing their shit over Rios De La Luz’ tarot cards. We’re upping our swag with the quickness for future events.
Bring a team of people that are aligned in every way and are passionate about their vision/books kinda like the Broken River Books militia.
Don’t make assumptions about which books will sell. I made that mistake and didn’t bring enough copies of a couple of books.
Get plenty of rest so you’re ready to sell. This one area I was severely lacking in for several reasons.
Bullet Tooth Pre-orders Going Out Soon
If you ordered a physical signed copy of Bullet Tooth, those will be going out sometime next week. Sorry for the delay. Been busy making moves, flying in and out of cities, and ish. You’ll also get one of these badass bookmarks below. If you’d like to get a signed copy, cop one here.
And don’t forget, there are only about 30-something copies left of the Dark Oblivion Edition edition. Only 50 of these babies will ever be printed. Super rare. You can still order one here.
Poetry Bag
So it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been in my poetry bag, but I wrote a love poem titled “CECE” about a girl in Chicago that I’ve never met, but I talk to weekly. It somehow got published at Punk Noir Magazine and you can read it here.
She loved it btw.
Writing Updates
I’m laser-focused on finishing the first draft of Project Bunny Bloodbath (codename for the current book I’m working on) and I’m knee-deep in the parts where shit’s about to hit the fan. And I jumped ahead a little bit to the nitty gritty and thing’s are about to get insane. I can’t wait for y’all to read this.
Currently Watching: Love, Death & Robots Season 3 & True Detective Season 4: Night Country & Ballers Season 5
Currently Reading: Cosmic Horror Monthly #3 and Pedo Island Bloodbath by Duncan Ralston & Less Than Zero by Brett Easton Ellis and Bedlam by Charlene Elsby & Bad Foundations by Brian Allen Carr
I finished reading an unpublished book by David Simmons the past week and it’s my favorite one so far. DARK and depressing in the best way possible. I can’t wait until it drops.
Currently Smoking: 8-Bit Buds Pre-Roll
Listening: The Danny Brown Podcast, Back from the Borderline, The Higherside Chats, Agitator, Mutual Aberration Society, Victory Light, and Lost Xplorers
Bryson Tiller puts on the pooh shiesty and gets into his ratchet bag throwing ones and flexing his networth. This is a nice changeup from the loverboy and it’s good to see him happy for once. Capricorns I’m looking at you aka myself.
BossMan Dlow has one of the most convincing yet versatile flows I’ve heard in a long time. He’s the atypical rapper with blinding chains and stacks of cash, but the authenticity shines. You know he’s having fun with it and believes his raps deep down. We need more ear worms like this…
It’s crazy that the females rappers have more beef than the men right now. Latto addresses just about all of them in “Sunday Service” and she’s rapping her ass off. This makes me respect her even more and pulling up on someone like it’s Sunday Service is crazy.
Until next time…
Cop my books here or cop signed copies here.
Sign up for a tarot reading with me here.
For business inquiries email grantwamack@gmail.com