As I sit here in jury duty selection, I find a few precious minutes to write a much needed blog update. First, a quick catch up. Shake The Lake Volume 1 has been out for roughly 3 months and has appeared on Amazon.com in a kindle version and very recently, a hard copy print via Createspace and aside from being available on our website www.shakethelakecomic.com, you can now get a digital version on iTunes. So that's fun! What we're lacking in sales, we're making up for in platform preparation for a large marketing push once V3 is out. One platform still alludes us though... the golden goose: Comixology.
Why is Comixology the golden goose? Well, it's sole purpose is a comic book sales platform. An audience goes there for no other reason than to purchase comics. Now, after waiting almost 3 months for the finality of the approval process, I find in the FAQ section that "works including song lyrics will automatically be rejected." I wonder I they know of an artist named Kanye West or if they'll notice we've included some lyrics from "Gold Digger" in the house party scene. Oh well. You live and learn right? Fingers crossed they're more automated and overworked than we are.
Volume 1 also wrangled in a handful of reviews which are linked to on the website. These were mostly positive with specific call outs to the fantastic artwork and the welcomed humor and original story theme. I guess wakeboarding in comic form is as original as we'd hoped.
Throughout this process we've also been progressing on Volume 2. All V2 pages have been outlined and the first few completes are archived. As we're rounding a year of work now, there is a familiarity and routine that has taken the place of urgency and anticipation but I'm thrilled that I still feel the same excitement and satisfaction in every step. Has it taken longer to create Shake The Lake than I wanted? Yes, but consistent steps make the journey and the journey is good my friends. There are some amazing moments in V2 including the introduction of antagonists Zeke and Dalton, two mustached, Dick-Shit, Park Rangers who aren't afraid to use their tazer on any "...filthy-mouthed, fornicatin' little curs" they run across and the development of our love story between Cal and Nika. *Don't pretend to be offended at the spoiler! You knew it was coming.
I personally was a bit lack on wardrobe selection this volume and have recently had to put the pedal to the metal in prep for V3. But the second installment focuses on story and character development. Our theme is set, the tone is matched and catalyst accomplishments in V1 open the way to a slower paced narrative that still covers ground.
There's more to come. In the meantime, grab a hardcopy of Shake The Lake on our website or get a kindle copy from Amazon. Don't forget to leave a review.
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Thanks for reading. Shake The Lake is the story of a group of friends, chasing the endless summer who find themselves in a new laketown attempting to save a bullied marina from snobby yacht club encroachment by staging a mammoth end-of-summer wakeboarding festival.
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