It must be the spring, or maybe the insomnia – sleep deprivation does have a lot of weird side-effects, after all…
Anyway, I get lots of ideas, these nights. So I’ve decided to try two experiments. One of them will involve only my Patrons, while the other will be open to the public.
Both are unashamedly self-promotional.
Both will probably be quite fun.

Experiment 1 – for my Patrons only

I posted my Patreon supporters, last night, with an idea. I would like to do a few hangouts sessions with them – sort of like my old (and currently discontinued) podscasts, but more interactive. Chats with the audience, instead of the audience passively listening to my ramblings. Talk radio, but done right.
The idea is to start doing this twice a month, each hangout session preceded by a poll in which the participants will decide on the topic of the chat.

I think it’s time I started giving something different to the people that every month help me keep the lights on.
And yes, were I a supermodel, a star cosplayer or some other heavenly creature, probably the offer would have more pull, but who knows…
We’ll be able to talk history, or the pulps, or writing, or discuss books or movies we like (or hate), games… whatever.
And because I have both Italian- and English-speaking patrons, I’ll do separate sessions in both languages. The tricky part will be to arrange timetables, given time zones.

Anyway, if you are among my Patrons, let me know what you think, and if you are not… well, ever thought about joining?

Experiment 2 – all over the world

There is this thing I’ve been talking about with my friend Fabrizio Borgio, about doing a “Duelling Typewriters” sort of event: the two of us, in some public venue, with writing tools, writing stories in public over the course of a day.
We talked about it as a support event for the local Book fair, but they ran away screaming in fear at the idea, and now we might end up doing it to promote a local bookstore.

The stunt, of course, is the same that Harlan Ellison used to do, to cut down to size the mystique of the writer: no blond and seraphic, big-boobed, angel-winged Muse flying down from the sky to hand the story to the author, but just a guy sitting down doing his job, and a hard job it is.

So, while I wait for the opportunity to do the Duelling Typewriters show, I thought I’ll do a few sessions writing in public.
I can simply write using Google Documents, while providing a link for anyone interested in watching over my shoulder. I’ll design myself a sort of Old Circus or Golden Age Stage Magician -style poster, or use the on-line Pulp-o-mizer, then set up a Facebook event, and go from there.
It’s something I never did, and it will be a nice change – I usually sit alone in my library to write.
But it’s going to be fun, and as far as self-promotion stunts is more like me than, say, post naked photos of myself like some authors and bloggers did.
If nothing else, it feels less desperate, right?

Anyway – watch this space for more announcements.