The Man doesn't believe in funding the arts

 

Another life lesson from my book The Man Makes You Work.

Available here: The Man Makes You Work

Book Review: Too Sweet — Inside the Indie Wrestling Revolution

Back in 2010, I ran social media for a small, local independent wrestling organization in Tampa, Florida. All-Star Wrestling of Florida was as small and as local as wrestling comes — a bar show featuring mostly talent from the Central Florida. Attendance was lucky to reach 100 paying patrons.

Despite the small presence, ASW Florida still attracted some big names in the wrestling world. WWF legend Sunny made an appearance. ECW legend Bill Alfonso made an appearance. Shawn Spears worked a few matches. Eventual GCW co-owner Danny DeManto was a regular contestant. Then-TNA stars Jay Lethal and Samoa Joe were frequent attendees who watched from the bar.

After ASW Florida folded in 2011, I stopped being as interested in the indy scene. I still attended show at wXw, Afa the Wild Samoan’s developmental, watching future WWE talent such as Sean Maluta, Kona Reeves, and the widely-traveled Mercedes Martinez. But I attended because the Anoa’i Family has become family to me and my family. Only going to wXw meant the underground wrestling scene was no longer my scene.

I also stopped writing about wrestling as much. For a while I was a guest writer on the now-defunct Walls of Jericholic — The Wrestling Blog website. Although we often had different opinions, their editor allowed me to write my views through the prism of the Florida indy scene.

So it was with great interest that I read Keith Elliot Greenberg’s “Too Sweet: Inside the Indie Wrestling Revolution”. Too Sweet covers independent wrestling from its beginning as “renegade promotions” in the territory days to a viable source of entertainment in the WWE-dominant days to the gathering of the top stars to create a WWE-level alternative in All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Although Greenberg writes about the big Japanese wrestling leagues, and mentions pro wrestling in the UK and Mexico, he focuses most of the story on Ring of Honor, CHIKARA PRO, CZW, GCW, and other US-based independent organizations. Of course, hundreds, if not thousands, of other independent feds went unmentioned, but to write about them all would require volumes. Credit Greenberg for keeping a narrative, even if none of my local indies were mentioned.

Also to his credit, by keeping to these top independents, Greenberg stays away from the criticisms of independent wrestling — that is has led to a watered down product because everyone with a ring is putting on shows. As a matter of fact, Greenberg almost embraces the low bar of wrestling promotion. Veterans of yesteryear state the high bar kept the wrestling community tight and ensured the fanbase received a quality product for their money. The lowered bar means an open market, where fans dictate the type of entertainment they want to see. Greenberg seems to favor the latter, not the former.

While I enjoyed the tale of the indies, the narrative almost works against Greenberg. As the book progresses, the book becomes The Road to AEW, with the Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and other stars of the present organization becoming the focus of the book. The focus on the indie organizations is left behind. How they are doing in 2020 would have made a great epilogue. Perhaps that is covered in his book Follow the Buzzards: Pro Wrestling in the Age of COVID-19. I might have to pick that up as well.

(Quick aside: While WWE was hunkered down in Tropicana Field during the pandemic, I ran into WWE stars Jey Uso and Otis at several Tampa-area sports bars. Joined them a few times for dinner and drinks. Family is family.)

Despite my critique of Too Sweet’s final focus, the rise of AEW as a major wrestling promotion was and still is a big deal. AEW is an organization primarily run by wrestlers with the focus of taking on WWE. Unlike TNA/Impact, AEW was backed by a billionaire family and immediately landed a major TV deal. Initial investment combined with the wrestling buzz generated by market-savvy wrestlers made AEW’s launch “must-see TV”. That is definitely a story worth telling.

So what is next for the indies? Small wrestling organizations filled with weekend warriors doing their thing in flea markets, gyms, and VFW halls won’t get the same attention as AEW. But given the highly volatile business of pro wrestling, some small indies might last longer.

Curveball at the Crossroads review by Jayson Stark

Getting good reviews is one of the best parts of writing. Whether it is a book, an article, or anything in between, having someone say nice things about something you put your heart into is very rewarding.

Curveball at the Crossroads has gotten some very good reviews since its publication in 2020. Several fellow authors have said some very nice things about it. But I recently received a review from Jayson Stark, one of the best baseball writers in the business today. Jayson has not only written his own books, he has also covered baseball daily for years and has appeared on ESPN and MLB Network.

In baseball media circles, he is a big deal.

Thank you, Jayson, for the very kind words.  

"'Curveball at the Crossroads' reeled me in on page one, and I couldn't put it down. It's a book that makes you ask: What would YOU do for a second chance, to rediscover a lost talent? It's a question that hangs over every page of this book - and one you'll be thinking about long after you finish it."

- Jayson Stark, author, Baseball writer at The Athletic, Winner of 2019 Baseball Writers Association of America Career Excellence Award

Curveball at the Crossroads at Tiger Dust oddities store in Tampa

I have started making short videos about where to find my debut novel Curveball at the Crossroads. Besides online, it is available at several stores in the Tampa Bay area, to include Tiger Dust, an oddities and occult store in the Seminole Heights part of Tampa.

Highly recommend checking them out and picking up a signed copy of Curveball at the Crossroads there while you can!

Dealing with the Devil of Legacy Book Publishing

 

 

Getting published is every writer’s dream. I wanted my book in every bookstore, on top lists, and selling thousands, if not millions of copies. But that dream almost crashed before it began.
In 2012, I started writing Curveball at the Crossroads. The first rough draft was finished in late 2013. I put the manuscript aside for a few years as I went back to school. From 2013 to 2019, I would occasionally submit the first 20 pages to publishers. I had a few dozen rejection letters and even more unanswered email queries. I grew frustrated, thinking the book would never be published.

I was laid off when the world stopped in 2020. With nothing to do besides looking for a new job and hoping the economy would start again, I decided to work on creative projects. The top project on my list was getting Curveball at the Crossroads published. I wanted to get my book in the hands of other bored readers. With no sports on TV, I thought people might flock to a sports fiction novel.
With no success pitching to larger publishers, I googled “Florida book publishers”. I figured if I was a local writer with experience in local publications, if I worked with a local publisher all the money would stay local. In theory, it was a good idea.

I found a list of Florida publishers and emailed several of them the first chapter of Curveball at the Crossroads. Only one emailed me back: Legacy Book Publishing from Winter Park, Florida.

Within a month, I signed a contract with Legacy Book Publishing to publish Curveball at the Crossroads. That was a huge mistake. I should have done my homework.

Gabriel Vaughn is the owner of Legacy Book Publishing. According to Florida business directory Sunbiz.org, Legacy Book Publishing doesn’t exist. Here are Gabriel Vaughn’s companies according to Sunbiz. Of them, only Legacy Press of Florida is active.

 

Representing a fictional company in a contract is illegal. Even if Gabriel Vaughn changed the name of the company on the contract, I still should not have done business with him. Not only does he have a claim against him by an author on RipoffReport.com, not only is there a scathing review of his lack of services to another author on his Google Business page, he has been sued in the Orange County Court by several authors.

As of 2022, my name is on the top of the list of authors who sued Gabriel Vaughn and his publishing companies.

Gabriel Vaughn provided me a published book in November 2020. Unfortunately, the original printing of Curveball at the Crossroads was littered with typos, including three on the back cover. The cover was poorly designed and not to the level of other books. Lastly, when I opened my shipment of books, several copies had blank pages and misaligned pages in the middle of the book. I was completely embarrassed.

Even worse, as of 2022, Gabriel Vaughn has never paid me for any sales. Nor has he ever told me how many books, if any, I sold through his company.

So I reached out to a lawyer and we sued him. My lawsuit demands four things: monies owned, a list of sales, that he de-list Curveball at the Crossroads off his website, and that he never sell my book again.

Most of the lawsuits against Gabriel Vaughn are for Breach of Contract. Gabriel Vaughn and Legacy Book Publishing is what is known as a “Vanity Publisher”. Gabriel Vaughn charges aspiring authors money to print their books. The authors get published by an actual publisher and avoid the stigma of self-publishing and Gabriel Vaughn gets paid without having the responsibility of selling any books.

Getting paid up front also reduces his incentive to print good products. 

Prior to dealing with Gabriel Vaughn, I was under the assumption that self-published meant “bad” or “cheap”. I also thought it meant only distributing through Amazon, which I did not want to do. Not until after I tried selling Gabriel Vaughn’s printing of Curveball at the Crossroads did I learn about self-publishing distribution.

I wanted my book on the shelves at small book stores. That was a goal. Unfortunately, Gabriel Vaughn and Legacy Book Publishing did not distribute through Ingram Spark, the preferred distributor of most small bookstores. The few stores I spoke to would not order books from individual publishers, especially ones they never heard of. They wanted the book to be available through Ingram Spark.

I was stuck with a poorly designed product that no one would order and a publisher who already got paid. I should have had “Sucker” printed on my forehead.

Fortunately, I still had the rights to my novel. I was able to reprint Curveball at the Crossroads in 2021. Reprinting took me almost an entire year. I learned how to commission a cover artist. I learned how to work with freelancers on Fivver.com, to include an editor and a book layout designer. I learned how to submit a self-published novel to Ingram Spark so small book stores can order it. All of the effort was well-worth it. I am proud of the second edition. It is a better product with better editing, a much better cover, and is more widely available.

I doubt I will ever get my money from Gabriel Vaughn. He is a hustler and scam artist who preys on the hopes and dreams of aspiring writers. When I last spoke with my attorney in December 2022, he told me the lawsuit could not be served because the Orange County Court could not find Gabriel Vaughn.

Ironically, Curveball at the Crossroads is about the consequences of signing a contract with the Devil out of desperation. I feel I did the same when I signed with Gabriel Vaughn and Legacy Book Publishing. For future authors, no matter where he surfaces, do not ever do business with Gabriel Vaughn and Legacy Book Publishing.

The much-improved second edition of Curveball at the Crossroads can be found at Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, or ordered through your local bookstore.

Curveball at the Crossroads at Motorworks Brewery with the Bradenton Noles

On November 5th, I had the awesome opportunity to have a book signing with the Bradenton Seminole Club at Motorworks Brewery. The Bradenton Noles were kind enough to let me visit for the game watching party as the Seminoles took on the Miami Hurricanes.

Meeting the Bradenton Noles was a lot of fun. They are some great people and they bought a good amount of books. And Motorworks Brewery is a fun place for local beer.

Thanks again to the Bradenton Seminole Club for having me.

Connecting Jackie Robinson to Curveball at the Crossroads

Creating art puts you in elite company. Not everyone exercises their creative genius in their lifetime. Meeting other creators is an awesome feeling. Especially when your creation is connected to their creation through other associations.

As I've mentioned many times, my debut novel is entitled Curveball at the Crossroads. It is a baseball novel set in rural Mississippi about a young African-American baseball player who makes a deal with the Devil. The audio version of Curveball at the Crossroads is narrated by Torian Brackett. Torian did an amazing job.

A few months later, Torian posted on social media that he another baseball book project in the works. He was narrating "Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter" written by Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long. I cannot confirm or deny that doing Curveball at the Crossroads opened Torian to additional baseball opportunities, but I like to think so.

A few months after Torian's announcement, New York-based rapper Skyzoo announced that he was part of a Jackie Robinson documentary entitled "Get to the Bag". Skyzoo dropped the trailer for his project in October 2022.

Now here is where I tie it all together. In mid-2021, Skyzoo performed in Tampa. He has been one of my favorite rappers for years and I could not miss the opportunity to see him perform. After the show, I realized I had a box of books in my car. I acquired a signed CD from him and gave him a signed copy of Curveball at the Crossroads. I remember writing in it that his music has gotten me through some tough times, so it was personal. It was very cool moment for me as a creator to present my creation to a creator that I admire.

I am not sure if Skyzoo has read Curveball at the Crossroads yet. But now there is a chain through creators, associates, and subject matter from my novel in Tampa, Florida through Mississippi to New York City and laying its home in Brooklyn. We are taking JaMark Reliford and the Blues to Ebbets Field and hip-hop.

Be sure to check out Curveball at the Crossroads as well as Torian's Jackie Robinson project and Skyzoo's Jackie Robinson documentary.

Curveball at the Crossroads at Bookstore1 Sarasota Book Fair October 22nd 2022

 

I love book fairs. As much as I love solo book signings, book fairs are better than solo book signings because I have a chance to meet fellow authors and writers. They also attract more people than solo book signings. They are a chance for me to see how other authors peddle their wears. I have learned a lot from fellow authors.

For example, the last few book fairs I have gone to I forgot to bring a mailing list. Mailing lists are important. Especially if I want to build a fanbase. 

This coming weekend, on October 22nd, 2022, I will be headed to Sarasota, Florida for the Bookstore1 Sarasota annual book fair. Bookstore1 is a very cute bookstore tucked in downtown Sarasota. They are around the corner and through the breezeway from a weekend market. I think there will be plenty of foot traffic for the book fair, which of course is a great thing.

Book fairs are also a chance to be outgoing and use my best sales pitch. I am basically carnival barking my book, trying to convince people to buy it instead of any of the other books for sale. But it is not a competition. It is a celebration of local authors and their creations.

But for real, Curveball at the Crossroads was runner-up, Best Book by a Local Author in 2021 for a reason.

The Bookstore1 Sarasota book fair should be a great time. Here is the link for more information:

https://www.sarasotabooks.com/fall2022-local-author-book-fair

Curveball at the Crossroads in the FSView

 

Tallahassee Talent Promoted to the Big Leagues - Kani Schram, FSView, 10/2/2022

Since publishing Curveball at the Crossroads, I have had the honor of some great reviews and write-ups. People have compared me to WP Kinsella, Christopher Moore, and other fantastic authors. It is all very humbling and very special.

But no review has been more special than my most recent in the FSView and Florida Flambeau. The FSView and Florida Flambeau is the campus paper of my alma mater, Florida State University. It is also the newspaper where I got my start twenty years ago. It was the first place I saw my name in print.

For those curious, I have reprinted some of my old FSView articles here under the tag "The FSView Collection". Since the FSView's website doesn't have a good archive, I figure I am not breaking any copyright laws reposting my own stuff.

The FSView has always had a soft spot in my heart. Once the Florida Flambeau, the paper merged with the FSView in the 1990s and became the FSView and Florida Flambeau. The paper has a history of speaking truth to power, taking on the campus powers-that-be on several occasions. Even though I wrote for the Lifestyles section, I always kept the history of the paper in mind, especially if I had the chance to write about less popular groups, clubs, or people.

But to now be written about in the paper? That's awesome.

I want to thank writer Kani Schram. She is a freshman writer for the FSView and even though she is in the beginning of her writing career, she did a great job with the article on me. I was very impressed and I hope to read her work again as she continues to bigger things.

I don't know how many FSView alumni have continued writing. I don't know how many have been written about in the same paper that they got their start. It is an awesome feeling. Among all my reviews, this might be one of my favorite.

Talking to Drinking With Authors

 

In an attempt to promote Curveball at the Crossroads, I have made appearances on several podcasts. On the recommendation of fellow local author Mark Muncy, I contacted the fine folks at Drinking With Authors and we scheduled an online conversation.

About Drinking With Authors:

We always imagine a day when we’re having a drink at our favorite bar, dive, or even eatery and our favorite author comes through the doors. Much to your luck, they sit next to you and conversation ensues! That’s what Drinking With Authors is all about! Join us over drinks to discover the backstory and journey of authors like Tamara Lush, Connie Y Harris, Kenya Wright, Jonathan Maberry, Dan Wells, Jeffe Kennedy, Heather Graham, Melinda M. Snodgrass, and so many more. We interview authors all over the spectrum including those who just started their journey with their debut book and those who have scripted some of our favorite television and Netflix shows! Pour yourself a drink, pull up a seat, and join us as we get to know our favorite authors and gain some inspiration for fellow writers and sheer entertainment for fans!

Listen to my talk with Drinking With Authors here: