Old School Magick

Met with my Oddfellows Serenade collaborator Chris Wilson this weekend to talk over the final chapter of the book and to go over completed work from Chapter Four and corrections made to the previous chapters. We also discussed the addition of scenes that will lead directly into the next Landon Connors graphic novel.

Yes, we will be doing a second book — which is crazy talk considering we’ve been working on this one for well over a year. But, we’re hitting our stride and suspect the second book will go much faster. The story’s just too good to pass up.

Afterward we met up with some fellow ghostbreakers and took part in a fascinating investigation well into the next morning. Busted out the trusty old spirit board, witch rods, and tarot cards and conversed with unseen forces until the sun started to rise over the haunted Hoosier heartland… I’m still paying for it today, but it was well worth it.

Converse

I took a personal day yesterday, primarily to spend some quality time with my wife and to take care of some long overdue business, but I also had the opportunity to take part in talks with an economic development group that was brought in to shake things up in my little hometown.

It was an honor and privilege.

I love Converse. I really do. The town has such a rich and fascinating history and it has been a real passion of mine since I was a kid. One of the saddest things for me has been to see its slow decline since the 80s and I’ve long felt that much of what made Converse special was slowly being leeched away by so-called progress.

Once grand buildings have been allowed to decay, replaced by the sort of boring, one note architecture that lacks soul and grandeur.

Talking town history with people just as passionate about the Converse of yesteryear was emotionally satisfying on every level. And I came away with the sense that people were starting to see the same malaise I have been for 25 years and that they’re not happy about it. Better yet, it looks like maybe, just maybe, this ship is going to be righted and with a little hard work and dedication that thing that has made Converse something special is being reignited and we just might be able to return a bit of charm and character to the town before its been stripped completely away.

I’m very excited by some of the things that were discussed and I have a few ideas that could spark even grander things to come.