How it Began
Many people asked me what lead me to writing this book and what truly happened almost 6 years ago that lead me to creating My Life as a Comic Book Reader. Almost 6 years ago I went through three very major loses in 2008. I had just gone through a horrible break up and left with a large amount of debt, I had my position at my job eliminated and I lost one of my long time pets at that time. I was looking at some tough times ahead and one Friday night I was going through my several comic book long boxes (equaled 14 at the time). I was going through the various books and see what I could sell online to pay off a large amount of debt that these loses had caused in my life. I was going through my first set of books that lead me to comics when the idea hit me for a story.
Just like in my video I ran to my office desk and pulled out a notebook and a pen and I titled the outline: "My Life as a Comic Book Reader". I just remember writing about the first time I saw a super hero to when I had my mother buy my first comic at the old corner market that was 10 blocks from where I grew up. I looked up after a moment and realized I had written about why I became a comic book reader and where I was at that point in my life and how once again comics were going to help me through this difficult period. I made a promise to myself and God that I wouldn't let this be an end to who I was even though nothing made sense to me at that time.
During the summer my long boxes went from 14 to just 6 boxes and in the fall they went to just 3. I paid off some bills and debt, I even took a new job and that's where I met someone who would change my life again, my wife, Melissa. It wasn't long after I wrote another chapter for my book and I added more to it once we were married and then in 2010, with a baby on the way I went through the lost of my job. In doing so, we moved in with Melissa's parents, I took several part time jobs and I sold off almost all of my comics by the end of the year to make sure there was money for our future son. It was a month after our son was born that I was up late one night after getting him to sleep and I wrote two more chapters and then I ended up doing the first rewrite and making the story flow to where I was at that point in my life.
The notebook ended up sitting in my desk until 2011 when I ended up rewriting it yet again and by beginning of 2012 I had the main story finished. I polished it here and there until the following summer when I got an incredible phone call and I took my current job, which I love every day. It was that following Christmas that I once again rewrote the story once more and by the spring of 2013 I had it finalized. It was after two friends of mine had successfully had their own Kickstarter book projects funded that summer that I wanted to finally get this book out in the world. I looked and emailed and asked so many people and places until I found my artist, Natish through Fiverr.com and my wife's long time friend, Kristin created such a wonderful chapter insert that I knew it was time to get this book illustrated and out in the world.
I knew I had to find a way to pay my artists so I sold my copy of Avengers #1. Yes, the original Stan Lee and Jack Kirby issue that was in decent condition. I used the funds from that to pay my artists and get the final contacts needed to find a publisher. Now, here I am 5 days later and I share and tweet and use the good old word of mouth to get this book funded. I pray every day that this will be the day it catches fire and takes off and everyday I'm also reminded of how hard I have to work in my spare time to keep this project going and not sacrifice any personal time with my family and friends. It's been a long road and I know it's far from over but I believe now is the time for My Life as a Comic Book Reader and I believe this book will see print by the summer.
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