WEBVTT 00:00:03.423 --> 00:00:07.139 You are listening to the USDN on the 00:00:07.219 --> 00:00:08.544 DFPN. 00:00:40.179 --> 00:00:40.884 Thanks for watching! 00:01:10.745 --> 00:01:12.486 what is up everyone and welcome to the 00:01:12.546 --> 00:01:14.007 united states department of nerds where we 00:01:14.046 --> 00:01:16.808 are for the people by the people and 00:01:16.947 --> 00:01:20.188 of the people and i scroll down too 00:01:20.209 --> 00:01:23.271 far let me hop in here so some 00:01:23.311 --> 00:01:26.152 warriors inherit swords some inherit 00:01:26.212 --> 00:01:29.334 kingdoms but some forged their legacy 00:01:29.554 --> 00:01:32.234 across galaxies tonight we step beyond 00:01:32.314 --> 00:01:34.376 medieval walls and into something far 00:01:34.415 --> 00:01:37.097 larger a universe where knighthood isn't 00:01:37.138 --> 00:01:39.698 bound to a kingdom it's bound to destiny 00:01:40.278 --> 00:01:42.960 for fifteen years one creator has been 00:01:43.001 --> 00:01:45.242 building that universe piece by piece 00:01:45.742 --> 00:01:48.105 chapter by chapter outside the mainstream 00:01:48.144 --> 00:01:51.727 and outside of the machine self published 00:01:52.128 --> 00:01:56.090 independent and unapologetically epic this 00:01:56.131 --> 00:01:59.052 is the story of a knight's title the 00:01:59.093 --> 00:02:02.194 council of nerds is now in session russell 00:02:02.435 --> 00:02:07.539 welcome to the usdn i'm glad to be 00:02:07.558 --> 00:02:08.460 here it's good to be here 00:02:10.461 --> 00:02:11.782 We are happy to have you here. 00:02:11.801 --> 00:02:13.443 We've had you on the books for quite 00:02:13.462 --> 00:02:16.485 a while now and glad that we're here 00:02:16.545 --> 00:02:20.568 now tonight to get this going and to 00:02:20.688 --> 00:02:22.610 get A Knight's Title out here to the 00:02:22.651 --> 00:02:24.592 Council and to everybody else who may be 00:02:24.651 --> 00:02:25.673 listening later on. 00:02:26.454 --> 00:02:29.096 So before A Knight's Title was a saga 00:02:29.556 --> 00:02:31.478 and before readers and before episodes, 00:02:31.518 --> 00:02:34.219 where did this original spark come from? 00:02:36.396 --> 00:02:37.038 Oh, well, 00:02:37.437 --> 00:02:39.399 I've been I've been writing since I was 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:42.622 probably in elementary school. 00:02:43.701 --> 00:02:45.323 They used to at least when I was 00:02:45.362 --> 00:02:46.905 in school, which is a while now. 00:02:48.325 --> 00:02:50.766 They used to always push creative writing. 00:02:50.866 --> 00:02:52.549 And that was something that I always 00:02:52.688 --> 00:02:53.288 excelled in. 00:02:53.508 --> 00:02:55.850 And that's kind of where it all kind 00:02:55.890 --> 00:02:56.891 of started from. 00:02:57.572 --> 00:02:58.953 And then, you know, 00:02:58.973 --> 00:03:00.794 I was writing a couple of books and 00:03:00.854 --> 00:03:04.076 this idea kind of always surface there and 00:03:05.747 --> 00:03:06.528 For a long time, 00:03:06.628 --> 00:03:08.871 I just couldn't encapsulate it into a 00:03:08.950 --> 00:03:09.610 single book, 00:03:09.651 --> 00:03:10.611 and I didn't know what to do, 00:03:10.671 --> 00:03:11.592 and I didn't know what to do. 00:03:11.652 --> 00:03:13.395 And then finally, 00:03:14.275 --> 00:03:16.717 it originally originated on Amazon's 00:03:16.796 --> 00:03:17.457 Kindle Vela, 00:03:18.318 --> 00:03:21.200 but they went out of business, 00:03:21.241 --> 00:03:22.763 essentially, so I had to move it. 00:03:22.902 --> 00:03:25.664 But that's ultimately where it came from. 00:03:25.784 --> 00:03:28.426 I started in elementary school writing, 00:03:28.768 --> 00:03:32.270 and grew and became... 00:03:37.967 --> 00:03:39.995 Your last bit of audio almost completely 00:03:40.034 --> 00:03:40.758 cut out on us. 00:03:45.050 --> 00:03:45.911 Yeah, no, 00:03:45.931 --> 00:03:48.431 I was saying how it really just originated 00:03:48.491 --> 00:03:50.674 from elementary school, from just, 00:03:50.693 --> 00:03:52.694 you know, constantly, you know, 00:03:52.715 --> 00:03:54.355 writing from elementary school. 00:03:54.496 --> 00:03:55.937 And, I mean, whether it was, 00:03:56.217 --> 00:03:57.138 whether you're watching, you know, 00:03:57.237 --> 00:04:00.340 anime or cartoons or what it is, 00:04:00.500 --> 00:04:00.719 you know, 00:04:00.740 --> 00:04:02.341 that stuff feeds into you as a creator. 00:04:02.980 --> 00:04:05.082 And that really all just, 00:04:05.143 --> 00:04:06.824 you can see it in the work itself, 00:04:06.864 --> 00:04:08.564 how it's been influenced by... 00:04:09.504 --> 00:04:11.586 It's been influenced by King Arthur, 00:04:11.686 --> 00:04:15.127 by different animes, 00:04:15.187 --> 00:04:18.089 like you could say One Piece, 00:04:18.129 --> 00:04:20.071 you could say Yu Yu Hakusho, 00:04:20.630 --> 00:04:22.211 but then you also get into all of 00:04:22.232 --> 00:04:23.192 these different comics, 00:04:23.752 --> 00:04:27.274 whether it's Guardians of the Galaxy or, 00:04:27.793 --> 00:04:28.694 hell, Green Lantern, 00:04:28.714 --> 00:04:30.495 which now they have the Lantern show 00:04:30.516 --> 00:04:31.336 that's going to be coming out. 00:04:31.475 --> 00:04:33.197 So there's tons of different influences. 00:04:33.216 --> 00:04:36.059 They dropped the first teaser today. 00:04:36.139 --> 00:04:36.519 Yeah. 00:04:36.538 --> 00:04:36.598 So... 00:04:37.738 --> 00:04:39.543 You've been writing for fifteen years. 00:04:40.324 --> 00:04:41.807 So what has kept you committed to the 00:04:41.848 --> 00:04:43.833 craft for this long? 00:04:47.956 --> 00:04:48.117 You know, 00:04:48.137 --> 00:04:49.697 I've gotten that question before. 00:04:50.918 --> 00:04:53.401 And to be honest, it really just is. 00:04:53.581 --> 00:04:54.922 I put in way too much work, 00:04:55.661 --> 00:04:58.504 way too much, you know, the old cliche, 00:04:58.524 --> 00:05:00.004 blood, sweat, and tears into it. 00:05:00.204 --> 00:05:01.565 And I've come this far. 00:05:02.607 --> 00:05:06.189 And I've been too much to turn back 00:05:06.249 --> 00:05:06.470 now. 00:05:07.170 --> 00:05:08.891 So I'm going to just stick into it 00:05:08.911 --> 00:05:09.692 for the long haul. 00:05:09.752 --> 00:05:12.012 And fingers are crossed that one day, 00:05:12.052 --> 00:05:14.675 you know, I get some big movie deal. 00:05:15.675 --> 00:05:16.136 We'll see. 00:05:16.156 --> 00:05:16.855 We'll see. 00:05:16.875 --> 00:05:17.516 Jury's still out. 00:05:19.216 --> 00:05:22.317 no dude and that's the best way to 00:05:22.338 --> 00:05:26.098 go about it man so was self-publishing 00:05:26.259 --> 00:05:28.519 always the plan or was this kind of 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:30.959 born out of necessity like all all of 00:05:31.019 --> 00:05:37.382 us necessity uh it really really is 00:05:37.482 --> 00:05:40.601 necessity i mean you you can't get into 00:05:40.682 --> 00:05:43.262 big publishers without agents and it's 00:05:44.081 --> 00:05:46.142 almost impossible to get an agent because 00:05:46.202 --> 00:05:48.625 they're very, basically they're all, 00:05:48.644 --> 00:05:49.586 they want to work with, you know, 00:05:49.886 --> 00:05:52.968 the preexisting authors or whatever you 00:05:53.007 --> 00:05:53.367 have. 00:05:53.387 --> 00:05:54.689 They just kind of want to stick with 00:05:54.728 --> 00:05:54.988 that. 00:05:56.009 --> 00:05:58.271 So it's just impossible. 00:05:58.911 --> 00:06:01.012 So it really has become a necessity. 00:06:01.072 --> 00:06:02.374 I just have, I have no choice. 00:06:02.514 --> 00:06:02.915 I, 00:06:03.055 --> 00:06:05.555 and I'm going to still keep pushing to 00:06:05.656 --> 00:06:07.437 try and get into the, to that world. 00:06:07.577 --> 00:06:09.478 But if I don't, I don't, 00:06:09.499 --> 00:06:10.319 I'm just going to stay. 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:11.980 There's been tons of, you know, 00:06:12.060 --> 00:06:13.442 tons of self-published stuff that has, 00:06:14.161 --> 00:06:16.223 essentially gotten bigger than any big 00:06:16.264 --> 00:06:19.867 publisher could ever get it so no i 00:06:19.906 --> 00:06:22.730 mean you're spot on on that so so 00:06:22.790 --> 00:06:25.172 a knight's title isn't traditional 00:06:25.733 --> 00:06:28.754 medieval fantasy a blend sci-fi and 00:06:28.855 --> 00:06:31.697 integer stellar scope when did you decide 00:06:31.718 --> 00:06:33.680 to kind of expand this beyond the classic 00:06:34.300 --> 00:06:36.502 sword and shield territory and into the 00:06:36.702 --> 00:06:39.884 sci more sci-fi realm with you know 00:06:39.966 --> 00:06:40.326 knights 00:06:44.721 --> 00:06:48.463 So I am a big Highlander fan. 00:06:49.204 --> 00:06:54.889 That movie played a huge factor with me. 00:06:55.649 --> 00:06:58.071 And so I always loved swords. 00:06:58.932 --> 00:07:00.894 And when I was making up this original 00:07:00.954 --> 00:07:01.774 idea, it was like, 00:07:02.254 --> 00:07:04.857 I need something that kind of separates it 00:07:04.896 --> 00:07:06.298 from a lot of other stuff where 00:07:06.898 --> 00:07:09.839 sci-fi-wise, you know, use just swords. 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:11.942 So that played into it. 00:07:12.041 --> 00:07:12.341 And then... 00:07:13.423 --> 00:07:15.863 a huge star wars thing you can kind 00:07:15.944 --> 00:07:20.165 of see star wars just held it together 00:07:20.524 --> 00:07:22.326 and that's where where it all really came 00:07:22.346 --> 00:07:25.846 from okay no i mean if you i 00:07:26.026 --> 00:07:27.387 i love both of them i'm a huge 00:07:27.408 --> 00:07:30.468 star wars fan obviously i love highlander 00:07:31.048 --> 00:07:32.668 before we go to the next question though 00:07:32.689 --> 00:07:34.089 how do you feel about this new highlander 00:07:34.129 --> 00:07:34.389 movie 00:07:36.774 --> 00:07:37.855 I'm very excited for it. 00:07:38.336 --> 00:07:39.276 I like Henry Cable. 00:07:40.916 --> 00:07:42.658 And I think he's going to try and 00:07:42.678 --> 00:07:45.019 stay true to the originals while kind of 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:46.060 also expanding on it. 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:48.482 So from what I've seen, I mean, 00:07:48.502 --> 00:07:50.202 they've only released a couple of pictures 00:07:50.223 --> 00:07:53.024 from it, but I have faith in it. 00:07:53.084 --> 00:07:56.466 Yeah, and knowing the way Henry is, 00:07:56.726 --> 00:07:58.747 he will stay as true as he possibly 00:07:58.788 --> 00:08:00.449 can to the source material. 00:08:02.649 --> 00:08:03.831 Yeah, agreed. 00:08:06.502 --> 00:08:08.807 So in a knight's title, 00:08:08.908 --> 00:08:11.233 what does knighthood mean in your 00:08:11.353 --> 00:08:11.793 universe? 00:08:11.814 --> 00:08:12.677 Is it symbolic? 00:08:12.757 --> 00:08:14.942 Is it a literal or is it philosophical 00:08:15.021 --> 00:08:16.004 within your universe? 00:08:19.324 --> 00:08:22.346 So Knights in a Knight's title is more 00:08:22.406 --> 00:08:25.269 so a kind of like how you have 00:08:26.149 --> 00:08:26.810 soldiers. 00:08:27.329 --> 00:08:32.234 It is a kind of a because there 00:08:32.453 --> 00:08:35.995 is ultimately what I call a blood ability 00:08:36.015 --> 00:08:40.278 which would be super power in the comic 00:08:40.458 --> 00:08:40.599 book. 00:08:40.619 --> 00:08:42.480 You're completely breaking up right now. 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:45.501 Yeah. 00:08:46.503 --> 00:08:48.504 All right. 00:08:49.113 --> 00:08:50.433 Hear me? 00:08:50.474 --> 00:08:50.734 Yes. 00:08:51.514 --> 00:08:52.774 Now you're good. 00:08:52.835 --> 00:08:56.116 Whatever you just did, you're good. 00:08:56.236 --> 00:08:56.557 Okay. 00:08:58.337 --> 00:09:00.499 Knights is like soldiers. 00:09:01.318 --> 00:09:03.659 It's kind of like just a position. 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:06.802 I wouldn't say that it's a knighthood like 00:09:06.841 --> 00:09:07.481 we think of it, 00:09:07.922 --> 00:09:09.783 although to some degree knights were 00:09:09.883 --> 00:09:10.303 soldiers. 00:09:12.404 --> 00:09:15.989 But the knights specifically are a certain 00:09:16.028 --> 00:09:18.331 group because in here we have the blood 00:09:18.350 --> 00:09:18.650 ability, 00:09:18.671 --> 00:09:20.773 which in comic world would be superpowers. 00:09:20.793 --> 00:09:24.476 And in order to be a quote-unquote knight, 00:09:24.756 --> 00:09:26.739 that is ultimately someone would have to 00:09:26.778 --> 00:09:28.679 have a blood ability in order to be 00:09:28.700 --> 00:09:29.000 a knight. 00:09:29.280 --> 00:09:30.621 There are other rankings and 00:09:30.802 --> 00:09:34.923 classifications across the Knights title 00:09:34.984 --> 00:09:37.225 universe, which I call the armory. 00:09:37.825 --> 00:09:40.767 But, you know, for Knight specifically, 00:09:40.927 --> 00:09:43.008 it was a specific, like, 00:09:44.168 --> 00:09:45.568 soldier type role. 00:09:47.289 --> 00:09:55.094 Okay. 00:09:55.114 --> 00:09:55.653 But, um, 00:10:00.884 --> 00:10:03.307 So you've built this as an episodic saga. 00:10:03.509 --> 00:10:05.772 Why serialize it instead of like 00:10:05.812 --> 00:10:07.234 traditional volume release? 00:10:10.888 --> 00:10:13.730 so originally it was just solely the fact 00:10:13.750 --> 00:10:16.631 that i did not have enough of a 00:10:17.131 --> 00:10:21.075 fleshed out story for start to finish and 00:10:21.495 --> 00:10:23.736 the best way that i could could explain 00:10:23.777 --> 00:10:27.058 the reason for episode was the fact that 00:10:27.078 --> 00:10:29.220 uh i had published some stuff through 00:10:29.299 --> 00:10:33.222 amazon kindle and then kindle uh launched 00:10:33.263 --> 00:10:35.784 kindle vela which was a short 00:10:36.825 --> 00:10:38.787 And they kept kind of hounding me. 00:10:39.207 --> 00:10:40.609 I guess they did to everybody who was 00:10:40.668 --> 00:10:42.049 publishing through Amazon Kindle. 00:10:42.910 --> 00:10:44.211 And, you know, in the beginning, 00:10:44.251 --> 00:10:45.793 I was like, I have nothing for this. 00:10:45.812 --> 00:10:46.453 I have nothing. 00:10:47.134 --> 00:10:49.155 And then after they kind of did like 00:10:49.176 --> 00:10:51.138 a third round of trying to get people 00:10:51.177 --> 00:10:51.558 to do it... 00:10:54.698 --> 00:10:56.700 I was kind of working with the story 00:10:56.740 --> 00:10:58.020 again, trying to build it more, 00:10:58.061 --> 00:10:59.182 trying to flesh it out more. 00:10:59.361 --> 00:11:01.484 And it clicked with me that, well, 00:11:01.504 --> 00:11:03.544 this would be more better off as an 00:11:03.625 --> 00:11:06.407 episodic thing where I don't need an end 00:11:06.586 --> 00:11:07.548 goal in mind. 00:11:08.368 --> 00:11:10.610 I can just start writing it what I 00:11:10.649 --> 00:11:12.591 have and just go forward with it that 00:11:12.630 --> 00:11:12.811 way. 00:11:12.831 --> 00:11:15.032 So that's really how the episodic style 00:11:15.052 --> 00:11:15.513 came about. 00:11:16.859 --> 00:11:17.038 Dude, 00:11:17.298 --> 00:11:19.179 that makes plenty of sense when you put 00:11:19.201 --> 00:11:19.841 it like that. 00:11:20.020 --> 00:11:20.441 I mean, 00:11:22.481 --> 00:11:24.823 I wish there were more stories like that 00:11:24.884 --> 00:11:28.466 done on a grander scale like yours. 00:11:28.546 --> 00:11:30.326 You know what I'm saying? 00:11:30.826 --> 00:11:32.347 It is something that you don't really see 00:11:32.388 --> 00:11:34.849 much maybe outside of the manga world. 00:11:35.610 --> 00:11:35.789 Yeah. 00:11:35.809 --> 00:11:38.010 That they're more so the episodic. 00:11:40.173 --> 00:11:42.174 you don't see the end goal in mind. 00:11:42.855 --> 00:11:44.376 So I guess that's the closest thing you 00:11:44.397 --> 00:11:44.836 get to it. 00:11:45.356 --> 00:11:47.658 I also have this thing of where every 00:11:47.739 --> 00:11:48.700 episode kind of, 00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:50.660 it doesn't always follow the same 00:11:50.701 --> 00:11:52.042 character as every episode. 00:11:53.163 --> 00:11:55.787 They'll branch out into different groups 00:11:55.807 --> 00:11:57.928 of characters, episodes. 00:11:58.349 --> 00:12:00.270 You'll get themes in different episodes, 00:12:00.291 --> 00:12:01.131 like different genres. 00:12:01.152 --> 00:12:03.533 You might go from straight-up adventure in 00:12:03.634 --> 00:12:06.155 one episode to horror in the next episode. 00:12:06.216 --> 00:12:09.318 So it kind of does have this variety 00:12:09.339 --> 00:12:11.900 that you could go through. 00:12:11.942 --> 00:12:12.981 No, I like that, 00:12:13.001 --> 00:12:14.423 and you actually answered the very next 00:12:14.464 --> 00:12:15.705 question by doing that. 00:12:17.697 --> 00:12:19.938 So without a major publisher behind you, 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:23.623 how do you manage to approach world 00:12:23.663 --> 00:12:24.965 building without limits? 00:12:28.822 --> 00:12:30.404 Oh, that's a good question. 00:12:30.424 --> 00:12:31.505 That is actually something that I'm 00:12:31.586 --> 00:12:32.407 always, yeah. 00:12:32.907 --> 00:12:33.027 Yeah, 00:12:33.067 --> 00:12:34.328 that's actually something that I always 00:12:34.389 --> 00:12:38.773 worry about is the OP level stuff where 00:12:38.793 --> 00:12:39.693 it's like, 00:12:39.714 --> 00:12:40.934 this is kind of getting out of control. 00:12:41.775 --> 00:12:43.076 So, yeah, 00:12:43.977 --> 00:12:45.419 the only way I could say the way 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.280 that I approach it is that I just 00:12:47.461 --> 00:12:50.544 go based off of if I was reading 00:12:50.585 --> 00:12:51.686 this from someone else, 00:12:53.769 --> 00:12:55.792 would I get turned off by thinking, oh, 00:12:55.812 --> 00:12:57.875 this is too ridiculous for me? 00:12:58.696 --> 00:12:59.596 And that's kind of the way that I've 00:12:59.616 --> 00:13:01.178 approached just writing in general, 00:13:01.339 --> 00:13:03.701 was would I want to read this from 00:13:03.782 --> 00:13:04.363 someone else? 00:13:04.543 --> 00:13:06.927 So, yeah. 00:13:06.947 --> 00:13:07.547 That's kind of how I... 00:13:08.729 --> 00:13:11.370 i i also try and get you know 00:13:11.390 --> 00:13:13.432 feedback from friends and that i'll shoot 00:13:13.451 --> 00:13:15.913 them some stuff and see see what they 00:13:15.952 --> 00:13:17.774 think of it and i i have a 00:13:17.793 --> 00:13:19.495 couple of friends that will be honest with 00:13:19.535 --> 00:13:22.177 me and be like you know it's just 00:13:22.397 --> 00:13:24.437 so hard to fight they'll tell me that 00:13:24.479 --> 00:13:25.139 i'm on the right path 00:13:26.313 --> 00:13:26.453 Yeah, 00:13:26.734 --> 00:13:28.615 it is really hard because sometimes people 00:13:28.635 --> 00:13:30.096 will just tell you, oh, it's wonderful. 00:13:30.596 --> 00:13:31.538 It's wonderful. 00:13:32.278 --> 00:13:34.740 And when it's too much like that, 00:13:34.760 --> 00:13:35.881 when someone's too much like that, 00:13:35.902 --> 00:13:38.384 I'm like, something's not right here. 00:13:38.423 --> 00:13:39.163 Something's fishy. 00:13:39.825 --> 00:13:42.407 But especially because as a creator, 00:13:42.427 --> 00:13:43.927 you're usually your own biggest critic. 00:13:44.788 --> 00:13:47.991 So you do need someone who's got these 00:13:48.052 --> 00:13:48.292 kind of... 00:13:51.423 --> 00:13:53.624 No, and it's hard to find, 00:13:53.663 --> 00:13:56.184 and I try to be, like, 00:13:56.205 --> 00:13:58.985 when I'm asked to review stuff, like, 00:13:59.106 --> 00:14:00.947 I try to be as honest about it 00:14:00.986 --> 00:14:03.248 as possible while also, like, not, 00:14:03.388 --> 00:14:04.828 you know, pissing on it as well. 00:14:06.330 --> 00:14:07.110 So for me, 00:14:07.909 --> 00:14:10.051 I know exactly what you mean. 00:14:11.552 --> 00:14:12.472 I love the criticism. 00:14:12.552 --> 00:14:13.432 I love the feedback. 00:14:13.472 --> 00:14:15.413 So sometimes I like when someone's a 00:14:15.433 --> 00:14:16.533 little more harsher than normal. 00:14:16.774 --> 00:14:18.735 So that would not be something that 00:14:18.794 --> 00:14:19.816 necessarily bothered me. 00:14:21.111 --> 00:14:23.133 no that's good because you got to have 00:14:23.153 --> 00:14:25.354 a thick skin when you're doing anything 00:14:26.134 --> 00:14:30.657 comic books short stories podcasting it 00:14:30.697 --> 00:14:33.719 doesn't matter man people can say some 00:14:33.778 --> 00:14:35.860 mean stuff and all you can do is 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:40.461 be like okay cool yeah are like you 00:14:40.501 --> 00:14:43.964 know everybody has one yeah and everybody 00:14:44.004 --> 00:14:46.745 can see it everybody can comment so if 00:14:46.764 --> 00:14:47.946 you're going to be thin-skinned about it 00:14:48.145 --> 00:14:49.267 you're not in the right industry 00:14:50.110 --> 00:14:50.871 A hundred percent, 00:14:51.873 --> 00:14:53.315 a hundred percent on that one. 00:14:54.096 --> 00:14:56.477 So as an independent creator, 00:14:56.519 --> 00:14:57.820 what has been your, 00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:59.903 what do you think is the biggest 00:14:59.942 --> 00:15:01.825 misconception about self publishing? 00:15:06.288 --> 00:15:09.208 I would say the biggest misconception 00:15:09.269 --> 00:15:12.610 about self-publishing would probably be 00:15:12.649 --> 00:15:15.990 the fact that most people kind of enjoy 00:15:17.110 --> 00:15:19.071 what you're in and you're going to have 00:15:19.091 --> 00:15:19.691 an audience. 00:15:21.052 --> 00:15:23.491 And it is the first from the truth. 00:15:23.532 --> 00:15:27.513 You have to grind and work and annoy 00:15:27.533 --> 00:15:28.833 people to get an audience. 00:15:29.754 --> 00:15:31.455 But having the, you know, 00:15:31.475 --> 00:15:33.996 the advertisement arm of the publishers. 00:15:34.777 --> 00:15:38.740 So if you're not willing to put in 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:41.902 kind of get social media savvy and try 00:15:41.922 --> 00:15:43.383 and figure out the algorithms to, 00:15:43.984 --> 00:15:44.163 you know, 00:15:44.183 --> 00:15:47.086 get into those specific lanes where you're 00:15:47.105 --> 00:15:47.926 going to find an audience, 00:15:49.726 --> 00:15:50.648 you're not going to really make it. 00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:53.399 It's so hard. 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:57.081 Just finding what works. 00:15:57.581 --> 00:16:02.024 I don't even want to say it works 00:16:02.164 --> 00:16:06.106 a hundred percent because it doesn't. 00:16:06.147 --> 00:16:06.567 For me, 00:16:06.947 --> 00:16:08.869 when I do the hype videos or I 00:16:08.889 --> 00:16:10.730 go to share the shorts and the reels, 00:16:11.289 --> 00:16:12.890 I always try to tag the person. 00:16:14.158 --> 00:16:16.158 who who's been on the podcast already, 00:16:16.177 --> 00:16:17.379 who's real it is. 00:16:18.119 --> 00:16:19.859 And hopefully it attracts some of their 00:16:19.938 --> 00:16:21.719 audience and that they're also into the 00:16:21.839 --> 00:16:23.500 Indies and that kind of stuff. 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:24.860 Or if they're just a fan of that 00:16:24.980 --> 00:16:25.519 person, 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:27.279 which is a lot of what I get 00:16:27.340 --> 00:16:28.301 is like, 00:16:28.541 --> 00:16:29.721 I know I will notice like I'll have 00:16:29.760 --> 00:16:31.880 a flux of followers, 00:16:32.400 --> 00:16:35.601 whether it's Instagram or Instagram is one 00:16:35.642 --> 00:16:35.922 of them. 00:16:36.022 --> 00:16:37.422 And then the YouTube is the worst one 00:16:37.442 --> 00:16:39.763 where I'll get like a good three to 00:16:40.263 --> 00:16:41.263 maybe ten people. 00:16:42.239 --> 00:16:44.279 know they will start following the podcast 00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:47.621 on youtube or instagram and they'll only 00:16:47.682 --> 00:16:50.322 be on there while the system is about 00:16:50.682 --> 00:16:52.945 third person you know what i'm saying and 00:16:52.965 --> 00:16:55.285 then they're gone yeah i will have a 00:16:55.365 --> 00:16:57.966 list of unfollows i'll notice i've dropped 00:16:57.986 --> 00:17:00.408 like five followers on face or not 00:17:00.427 --> 00:17:02.990 facebook but on youtube and i'm like okay 00:17:03.961 --> 00:17:06.284 That's a trend you have to recognize and 00:17:06.324 --> 00:17:08.945 just not let it hurt your feelings. 00:17:08.986 --> 00:17:09.766 It's not you. 00:17:10.326 --> 00:17:13.548 It's them because they're just there to 00:17:13.588 --> 00:17:15.029 get that notification that, hey, 00:17:15.410 --> 00:17:17.372 the guy they like is on the podcast, 00:17:17.412 --> 00:17:18.732 whether it's their cousin, brother, 00:17:18.772 --> 00:17:19.874 sister, whoever. 00:17:20.554 --> 00:17:21.934 And then once they've seen it, 00:17:22.115 --> 00:17:22.655 they're gone. 00:17:23.355 --> 00:17:25.458 So I take into account those now. 00:17:26.624 --> 00:17:28.667 So when I see those onesies and twosies 00:17:28.688 --> 00:17:31.453 or those three to five people bounce after 00:17:31.493 --> 00:17:33.237 a certain episode automatically now I'm 00:17:33.257 --> 00:17:33.858 like, oh, okay. 00:17:33.898 --> 00:17:34.440 They're just, 00:17:34.901 --> 00:17:36.282 they were there for this one person and 00:17:36.303 --> 00:17:36.964 now they're gone. 00:17:39.969 --> 00:17:42.851 yeah it really does you kind of especially 00:17:42.911 --> 00:17:44.692 if when you're writing and you're trying 00:17:44.813 --> 00:17:47.193 you're writing a certain genre and that's 00:17:47.253 --> 00:17:49.536 not the you know the same constant thing 00:17:49.556 --> 00:17:51.136 that's going on yeah you'll pick up some 00:17:51.176 --> 00:17:52.698 readers and then you'll lose them just as 00:17:52.739 --> 00:17:54.900 fast yep if they're not into what what 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:56.701 comes next so yeah i i definitely 00:17:56.721 --> 00:18:00.023 understand that and and again that goes 00:18:00.044 --> 00:18:02.486 back to having the thick skin and just 00:18:03.787 --> 00:18:05.647 understanding like that's part of the 00:18:05.688 --> 00:18:06.328 territory 00:18:07.421 --> 00:18:09.064 So yeah. 00:18:09.104 --> 00:18:10.526 So what has been some of the hardest 00:18:10.605 --> 00:18:12.769 lessons you've learned early on when you 00:18:12.808 --> 00:18:14.029 started all this? 00:18:16.997 --> 00:18:18.258 It would be the fact that it wasn't 00:18:18.298 --> 00:18:18.557 easy. 00:18:19.518 --> 00:18:21.199 I kind of did go into this thinking 00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.179 that, you know, 00:18:22.679 --> 00:18:24.180 because I kind of came into it when, 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:24.660 you know, 00:18:24.759 --> 00:18:26.840 all the self-publishing stuff really 00:18:26.881 --> 00:18:27.980 started to kick off. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:30.321 So I kind of came into it thinking 00:18:30.362 --> 00:18:33.083 that, oh, this means that, you know, 00:18:33.442 --> 00:18:35.824 I can self-publish because I can't seem to 00:18:35.844 --> 00:18:38.404 get into big publishers and I can get 00:18:38.545 --> 00:18:39.885 just as big right out the gate. 00:18:40.885 --> 00:18:43.587 And it was kind of, you know, 00:18:43.768 --> 00:18:45.990 a rude awakening finding that, oh, no, 00:18:46.029 --> 00:18:47.030 this is not easy. 00:18:47.250 --> 00:18:48.351 It is going to be hard. 00:18:48.932 --> 00:18:50.032 It is going to have to be something 00:18:50.053 --> 00:18:50.992 that you're going to fail at. 00:18:51.713 --> 00:18:52.834 You're going to fail at it quite a 00:18:52.875 --> 00:18:53.095 bit. 00:18:53.315 --> 00:18:54.675 And you just got to learn from that. 00:18:54.935 --> 00:18:56.696 And that's kind of been the biggest thing. 00:18:57.698 --> 00:18:59.638 My favorite quote is from Samuel Beckett, 00:18:59.999 --> 00:19:01.339 you know, ever tried, ever failed, 00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:03.000 no matter, try again, fail again, 00:19:03.041 --> 00:19:03.521 feel better. 00:19:04.241 --> 00:19:06.584 So I just kind of live by that. 00:19:10.811 --> 00:19:11.613 Nailed it, man. 00:19:12.192 --> 00:19:13.814 Spot on it. 00:19:15.714 --> 00:19:19.076 The amount of podcasts I see pop up 00:19:19.195 --> 00:19:21.978 within like the indie comic book groups on 00:19:22.298 --> 00:19:24.259 Facebook and they're gone. 00:19:24.578 --> 00:19:27.059 They're like a flash in the pan because 00:19:27.180 --> 00:19:30.842 they really don't realize a it's hard. 00:19:32.241 --> 00:19:34.743 B it costs money and you're probably not 00:19:34.784 --> 00:19:37.125 making any off the podcast. 00:19:37.184 --> 00:19:37.484 Yeah. 00:19:38.942 --> 00:19:40.463 So, yeah. 00:19:41.023 --> 00:19:42.625 It is something you have to be dedicated 00:19:42.665 --> 00:19:42.846 to. 00:19:44.086 --> 00:19:44.948 A hundred percent. 00:19:45.388 --> 00:19:46.970 You're either all in or you might as 00:19:47.009 --> 00:19:48.652 well just pack up your bags and go 00:19:48.672 --> 00:19:52.536 ahead and go. 00:19:52.695 --> 00:19:53.696 I completely agree with that. 00:19:56.045 --> 00:19:58.086 You've developed a dedicated readership 00:19:58.166 --> 00:19:58.606 over time. 00:19:58.646 --> 00:20:00.929 How did you build loyalty without the 00:20:00.969 --> 00:20:02.150 mainstream exposure? 00:20:02.570 --> 00:20:04.771 And I know you answered a little bit 00:20:04.853 --> 00:20:07.734 of that earlier with marketing on social 00:20:07.775 --> 00:20:08.194 media, 00:20:08.756 --> 00:20:11.917 but it's really hard to find that specific 00:20:12.239 --> 00:20:13.460 niche of people, though. 00:20:15.632 --> 00:20:16.353 Oh, still is. 00:20:16.472 --> 00:20:19.095 I mean, I also kind of thought because, 00:20:19.115 --> 00:20:20.715 you know, a knight's title kind of, 00:20:20.736 --> 00:20:24.219 it's kind of in that superhero genre to 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:24.878 some degree. 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.500 I kind of thought that I would pull, 00:20:27.801 --> 00:20:29.603 you know, a good chunk of, you know, 00:20:29.742 --> 00:20:30.604 readers from that. 00:20:31.403 --> 00:20:33.625 And it's not easy no matter what, 00:20:33.885 --> 00:20:36.147 no matter what you're kind of telling, 00:20:36.208 --> 00:20:37.348 what kind of story you're doing, 00:20:37.429 --> 00:20:38.390 what you got going on. 00:20:39.651 --> 00:20:41.553 It really is just that you've got to 00:20:41.593 --> 00:20:42.493 be constant. 00:20:42.513 --> 00:20:44.275 You've got to constantly put stuff out. 00:20:45.155 --> 00:20:46.636 I've made it where I'm putting out 00:20:46.797 --> 00:20:49.859 basically two seasons a year or I'm 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.480 putting out a season and then I'm putting 00:20:51.540 --> 00:20:53.343 out some extra episodes, you know, 00:20:53.383 --> 00:20:55.084 like specialty stuff, you know, 00:20:55.104 --> 00:20:55.683 like I had mentioned. 00:20:55.704 --> 00:20:55.845 Yeah. 00:20:56.404 --> 00:20:59.646 uh you know intermission shorts or annuals 00:21:00.207 --> 00:21:02.107 just so that I can kind of um 00:21:02.468 --> 00:21:04.189 just keep it out there because it needs 00:21:04.209 --> 00:21:07.451 to stay relevant uh Jeremy Hahn uh he's 00:21:07.471 --> 00:21:09.892 a comic book writer artist he for the 00:21:09.932 --> 00:21:13.534 beauty um he had told me once uh 00:21:13.574 --> 00:21:15.515 that you just you've got to constantly 00:21:15.535 --> 00:21:17.215 have stuff out there constantly put stuff 00:21:17.316 --> 00:21:19.557 out that's the only way to keep keep 00:21:19.636 --> 00:21:22.117 an audience uh you know there with you 00:21:22.137 --> 00:21:23.358 oh yeah 00:21:25.171 --> 00:21:26.872 No, and that's spot on. 00:21:27.051 --> 00:21:29.833 I hadn't posted shorts in a while, 00:21:29.873 --> 00:21:31.874 and I noticed the moment you're not 00:21:31.933 --> 00:21:35.895 posting them, your viewership just paints. 00:21:36.776 --> 00:21:38.156 So literally today, 00:21:38.277 --> 00:21:41.858 I was scheduling shorts to start coming 00:21:41.919 --> 00:21:42.439 back out. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:44.500 It's tiring. 00:21:44.980 --> 00:21:45.961 It's a lot of work, 00:21:47.181 --> 00:21:48.781 but ain't nobody doing the work but you. 00:21:50.583 --> 00:21:51.403 It has to be you. 00:21:51.462 --> 00:21:52.463 No one else will do it for you. 00:21:53.769 --> 00:21:54.930 Unless you got the money to pay. 00:21:55.190 --> 00:21:57.132 And if the podcast or the book ain't 00:21:57.152 --> 00:22:00.173 making money, you're self-employed. 00:22:01.355 --> 00:22:02.957 Yeah, that is for sure. 00:22:03.237 --> 00:22:04.438 And, you know, 00:22:04.518 --> 00:22:06.019 my grandmother always used to say, like, 00:22:06.038 --> 00:22:07.079 if you want something done right, 00:22:07.099 --> 00:22:07.721 do it yourself. 00:22:09.182 --> 00:22:10.923 And I found that that that is really 00:22:10.963 --> 00:22:12.505 the only way to do it really anyways, 00:22:12.545 --> 00:22:13.925 is just make sure it's done right. 00:22:14.646 --> 00:22:15.527 Yep. 00:22:15.567 --> 00:22:19.049 So what role does consistency play in your 00:22:19.330 --> 00:22:20.832 long form storytelling? 00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:24.641 It's probably the biggest thing. 00:22:24.721 --> 00:22:25.902 It's also the hardest thing, 00:22:26.542 --> 00:22:29.325 is to tell a consistent, long story, 00:22:30.046 --> 00:22:31.307 especially when you don't... 00:22:31.827 --> 00:22:35.911 Because I don't know when the story is 00:22:35.990 --> 00:22:36.291 ending. 00:22:37.352 --> 00:22:38.874 That's a question I get constantly is, 00:22:38.894 --> 00:22:40.454 do you know when it's ending? 00:22:40.494 --> 00:22:41.256 Do you know how it's ending? 00:22:41.976 --> 00:22:42.356 I don't. 00:22:43.298 --> 00:22:44.878 The characters kind of speak to me as 00:22:44.898 --> 00:22:45.500 I'm writing them, 00:22:45.660 --> 00:22:47.601 and the story unfolds as it goes. 00:22:48.402 --> 00:22:50.262 There'll be serendipitous things that 00:22:50.343 --> 00:22:53.204 occur later on in an episode that somehow 00:22:53.984 --> 00:22:56.467 perfectly tie into something from earlier 00:22:56.567 --> 00:22:56.686 on. 00:22:57.686 --> 00:22:59.528 And so consistency, 00:23:00.169 --> 00:23:02.289 the story has to remain consistent. 00:23:02.549 --> 00:23:03.891 I do a lot of note-taking. 00:23:04.770 --> 00:23:07.413 and i plot things out and i will 00:23:07.452 --> 00:23:10.294 constantly go back to that stuff to try 00:23:10.314 --> 00:23:12.276 and make sure that you know i don't 00:23:12.756 --> 00:23:14.396 i don't make an error where the story 00:23:14.436 --> 00:23:16.778 no longer is consistent where something 00:23:16.817 --> 00:23:18.839 happens that contradicts something else 00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:21.881 that alone is a ton of work and 00:23:22.301 --> 00:23:23.801 that alone i think is why there are 00:23:23.821 --> 00:23:26.003 a lot of people that you know will 00:23:26.243 --> 00:23:29.486 love to love storytelling but yet they 00:23:29.526 --> 00:23:31.626 can't seem to really make anything out of 00:23:31.646 --> 00:23:32.267 it because they 00:23:33.729 --> 00:23:36.590 Don't want to work into the consistent and 00:23:36.611 --> 00:23:37.652 make sure everything works out. 00:23:37.672 --> 00:23:39.894 Oh, yeah. 00:23:39.913 --> 00:23:41.655 And it's funny that you mentioned taking 00:23:41.715 --> 00:23:43.877 notes like I use notepad for all my 00:23:43.938 --> 00:23:44.298 interviews. 00:23:44.337 --> 00:23:46.519 That's how I write everything down. 00:23:47.520 --> 00:23:47.820 You know, 00:23:47.981 --> 00:23:50.544 and it's just it's the free program that 00:23:50.564 --> 00:23:51.924 comes with your PC. 00:23:51.964 --> 00:23:52.266 Right. 00:23:53.306 --> 00:23:54.807 But I have a single notepad, 00:23:54.928 --> 00:23:55.808 one page of notepad. 00:23:57.071 --> 00:24:00.473 saved within every file folder for my 00:24:00.554 --> 00:24:01.674 interviews that I do. 00:24:02.275 --> 00:24:04.276 And it's just like my catchphrases at the 00:24:04.316 --> 00:24:05.436 bottom and at the top. 00:24:06.257 --> 00:24:07.738 That way, when I'm writing, 00:24:07.877 --> 00:24:09.019 they're always there. 00:24:09.479 --> 00:24:11.140 That way, I always have them. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:12.621 And they're always there. 00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:16.022 And I can, ever since I've made them, 00:24:16.063 --> 00:24:16.363 I'm like, 00:24:16.663 --> 00:24:19.384 this will go into a notepad and each 00:24:19.464 --> 00:24:20.105 notepad will then 00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:23.481 paste it and then renamed with the name 00:24:23.561 --> 00:24:24.241 of the person. 00:24:24.803 --> 00:24:27.403 And it's just so it's consistency, right? 00:24:27.904 --> 00:24:29.326 And it's remembering, you know, 00:24:29.365 --> 00:24:31.386 to have that one key part that meets 00:24:32.327 --> 00:24:34.308 what is yours, yours. 00:24:35.269 --> 00:24:38.192 So a hundred percent take notes in your 00:24:38.251 --> 00:24:38.692 own right. 00:24:38.811 --> 00:24:42.515 Consistency. 00:24:44.056 --> 00:24:44.276 Yeah. 00:24:44.395 --> 00:24:47.218 And it's the biggest thing I've seen it 00:24:47.278 --> 00:24:49.240 in mainstream comic books, just like, 00:24:50.851 --> 00:24:52.311 like this dude's been writing comic books 00:24:52.332 --> 00:24:54.632 for twenty five years for marvel and his 00:24:54.692 --> 00:24:56.633 shit still ain't consistent like he 00:24:56.712 --> 00:24:59.233 forgets his own stuff because otherwise 00:24:59.314 --> 00:25:01.234 why is this in this story when this 00:25:01.355 --> 00:25:05.695 thing died in that you know issue so 00:25:06.036 --> 00:25:08.436 yeah huge footnote out there for people 00:25:08.717 --> 00:25:13.638 consistency it is the the sword that 00:25:13.979 --> 00:25:16.039 storytelling lives or dies by so 00:25:17.785 --> 00:25:18.465 A hundred percent. 00:25:18.526 --> 00:25:21.308 So if a creator listening right now is 00:25:21.449 --> 00:25:23.351 building their own universe, 00:25:23.550 --> 00:25:25.373 what's the first thing they need to 00:25:25.512 --> 00:25:28.797 understand? 00:25:28.896 --> 00:25:29.217 Oh, I, 00:25:29.577 --> 00:25:31.338 I would say that the first thing that 00:25:31.380 --> 00:25:32.901 a creator needs to understand when making 00:25:32.921 --> 00:25:35.943 their own universe is that it's your 00:25:36.065 --> 00:25:36.525 universe. 00:25:39.643 --> 00:25:40.044 Sure, 00:25:40.124 --> 00:25:42.807 you need to be able to essentially be 00:25:42.968 --> 00:25:44.690 open enough where you can attract an 00:25:44.851 --> 00:25:46.772 audience, but it is yours. 00:25:47.473 --> 00:25:50.419 So you need to make it yours. 00:25:50.479 --> 00:25:51.440 Sometimes, you know, 00:25:52.781 --> 00:25:54.825 take influence from stuff that you love. 00:25:55.605 --> 00:25:58.606 take what you got but ultimately you got 00:25:58.626 --> 00:26:00.607 to put your own twist on stuff you 00:26:00.667 --> 00:26:03.028 have to kind of give this brand new 00:26:03.108 --> 00:26:05.769 story for people to read for people to 00:26:05.829 --> 00:26:08.770 enjoy and ultimately i think that is one 00:26:08.790 --> 00:26:10.672 of the issues with you know whether it's 00:26:10.731 --> 00:26:14.633 hollywood or comic books or books in 00:26:14.692 --> 00:26:17.794 general nowadays is that most people are 00:26:17.854 --> 00:26:20.535 too bent and focused on you know kind 00:26:20.555 --> 00:26:21.836 of retelling the same stories 00:26:22.496 --> 00:26:25.919 So if you're making your own universe, 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:27.259 sure, 00:26:27.539 --> 00:26:30.522 I've taken tons of influences from stuff, 00:26:31.163 --> 00:26:32.785 but you have to be able to put 00:26:32.805 --> 00:26:34.385 your own twist on it. 00:26:34.866 --> 00:26:35.826 You have to be able to make it 00:26:35.846 --> 00:26:36.167 your own. 00:26:37.008 --> 00:26:39.430 It has to be you in order for 00:26:39.470 --> 00:26:40.991 something to really just kind of, 00:26:41.412 --> 00:26:43.193 you know, for somebody to remember it. 00:26:43.594 --> 00:26:44.934 You need them to remember it. 00:26:46.736 --> 00:26:48.337 And you don't want the copyright strikes. 00:26:51.623 --> 00:26:53.585 lawsuits are a big, big no-no. 00:26:53.625 --> 00:26:53.765 So, yes. 00:26:53.805 --> 00:26:56.307 Change some stuff up. 00:26:56.326 --> 00:26:57.847 Well, the copyright strikes. 00:26:57.887 --> 00:26:58.909 Change some stuff up. 00:26:58.929 --> 00:27:00.589 And then the lawsuits come if you don't 00:27:00.630 --> 00:27:02.751 follow up on those copyright strikes. 00:27:03.332 --> 00:27:03.711 Yeah. 00:27:04.192 --> 00:27:06.775 Yeah, we don't want, you know, 00:27:06.994 --> 00:27:08.075 paperwork to fill out. 00:27:08.175 --> 00:27:09.316 The only stuff we want to fill out 00:27:09.395 --> 00:27:10.136 is stories, so. 00:27:12.338 --> 00:27:13.118 A hundred percent. 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:15.840 So, you are active online. 00:27:16.442 --> 00:27:18.123 You are King Dark Heart. 00:27:19.666 --> 00:27:21.347 Brandon has personality. 00:27:22.367 --> 00:27:26.329 Where did that name come from? 00:27:26.349 --> 00:27:27.849 Please tell me it was D&D. 00:27:28.109 --> 00:27:28.849 We don't hate. 00:27:29.671 --> 00:27:30.851 We love D&D. 00:27:31.991 --> 00:27:33.231 It was not D&D, 00:27:33.271 --> 00:27:34.593 but you could say it was as close 00:27:34.633 --> 00:27:35.712 to that as possible. 00:27:36.252 --> 00:27:37.933 Just growing up with friends, 00:27:39.575 --> 00:27:41.914 we used to make our own games that 00:27:41.934 --> 00:27:42.435 we would play. 00:27:43.635 --> 00:27:45.258 We would create kind of characters, 00:27:45.317 --> 00:27:46.539 sort of like you would in D&D, 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:47.300 but we would play, 00:27:47.461 --> 00:27:48.761 we would kind of LARP them, 00:27:49.462 --> 00:27:51.465 and that was something that I made for 00:27:51.506 --> 00:27:53.248 myself, and that was something that stuck, 00:27:53.407 --> 00:27:54.548 and then it got to the point where 00:27:54.608 --> 00:27:55.570 social media came around. 00:27:56.310 --> 00:27:58.713 And they said, oh, make a username, and 00:27:59.394 --> 00:28:00.214 I was like, oh, well, 00:28:00.434 --> 00:28:01.695 this is what I usually use when I'm 00:28:01.756 --> 00:28:02.296 doing stuff. 00:28:02.355 --> 00:28:03.976 So I'm going to use this. 00:28:04.537 --> 00:28:06.096 And then it became, well, 00:28:06.717 --> 00:28:08.617 I kind of want to use this constantly, 00:28:08.657 --> 00:28:09.478 consistently. 00:28:09.678 --> 00:28:12.558 And so I just every single every single 00:28:12.598 --> 00:28:13.880 platform that popped up, I used it. 00:28:13.900 --> 00:28:14.759 And that's where it came from. 00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:16.319 So. 00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:19.320 So and that's actually amazing because 00:28:20.362 --> 00:28:22.821 people have to realize and understand that 00:28:23.623 --> 00:28:26.884 identity is important in storytelling and 00:28:26.943 --> 00:28:27.663 in branding. 00:28:28.669 --> 00:28:29.631 Yeah. 00:28:29.711 --> 00:28:31.093 Especially in the indie world, 00:28:31.313 --> 00:28:34.258 you have to have something that when they 00:28:34.317 --> 00:28:34.718 see it, 00:28:34.778 --> 00:28:37.261 they know it is you and they know 00:28:38.564 --> 00:28:40.307 what you represent. 00:28:41.528 --> 00:28:41.709 Yep. 00:28:43.044 --> 00:28:44.305 so yeah that's what i was kind of 00:28:44.325 --> 00:28:46.164 saying with the with you know someone 00:28:46.184 --> 00:28:47.586 wanting to make their own universe make it 00:28:47.685 --> 00:28:49.807 you and part of that is is you 00:28:49.826 --> 00:28:53.449 know identity brand like you have to make 00:28:53.489 --> 00:28:56.650 that you and i mean it's worked for 00:28:56.690 --> 00:28:58.451 me and so it can work for pretty 00:28:58.471 --> 00:29:01.192 much anybody that's how the chairman was 00:29:01.231 --> 00:29:06.134 born yeah can't nobody wants to stay here 00:29:06.513 --> 00:29:08.075 and listen to jeff i'll tell you that 00:29:08.734 --> 00:29:10.076 but you can start calling yourself the 00:29:10.115 --> 00:29:11.656 chairman of something and people pay 00:29:11.696 --> 00:29:12.156 attention 00:29:14.045 --> 00:29:16.086 Hey, when it works, it works. 00:29:16.968 --> 00:29:18.630 Dude, it is working. 00:29:18.750 --> 00:29:20.111 I'm not going to complain about it. 00:29:20.131 --> 00:29:20.872 That's for sure. 00:29:21.712 --> 00:29:27.417 So what is Nets for a Knights title? 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:30.361 So I am actually, you had asked about, 00:29:31.182 --> 00:29:32.282 you know, physical stuff. 00:29:33.163 --> 00:29:34.726 Yeah, before we went live. 00:29:35.891 --> 00:29:36.291 Yep, 00:29:36.311 --> 00:29:38.694 there's an omnibus one that contains 00:29:38.795 --> 00:29:40.336 season one through season six. 00:29:42.058 --> 00:29:42.578 Right now, 00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:45.742 season nine will come out later this year. 00:29:46.403 --> 00:29:50.548 So we're working on our way towards the 00:29:50.628 --> 00:29:51.309 omnibus two. 00:29:52.070 --> 00:29:55.092 But I will also be releasing a physical 00:29:55.172 --> 00:29:59.114 hard version of the spin-off series, 00:29:59.653 --> 00:30:01.375 Drake Cage, The Golden Armed Knight. 00:30:02.335 --> 00:30:04.076 The physical version will be called The 00:30:04.516 --> 00:30:05.516 Golden Knight Saga. 00:30:06.576 --> 00:30:08.617 That'll be coming out later this year, 00:30:08.678 --> 00:30:10.377 probably in November is when I'm looking 00:30:10.397 --> 00:30:11.558 to kind of shoot that out. 00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:14.701 But it'll be a physical book. 00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:16.962 This way, again, people, 00:30:17.623 --> 00:30:18.443 they love the internet, 00:30:18.523 --> 00:30:20.964 but they don't always like to consume 00:30:20.984 --> 00:30:22.266 their stuff through the internet. 00:30:22.787 --> 00:30:25.189 So I'm starting to release certain things. 00:30:25.669 --> 00:30:28.770 That physical for the spinoff will... 00:30:30.071 --> 00:30:33.994 actually contain a exclusive episode that 00:30:34.035 --> 00:30:35.516 you can't read anywhere else. 00:30:36.256 --> 00:30:39.419 So making your own, 00:30:39.459 --> 00:30:41.480 putting your own twist on it, 00:30:42.381 --> 00:30:44.721 you need something to get people to buy 00:30:44.741 --> 00:30:46.063 that or to read that. 00:30:46.143 --> 00:30:47.784 And I figured I'm going to put in 00:30:48.704 --> 00:30:50.986 a story in there that's exclusive to that. 00:30:51.727 --> 00:30:54.148 And that story will actually end up 00:30:54.169 --> 00:30:56.230 connecting with a couple of other short 00:30:56.269 --> 00:30:57.830 stories that are going to be exclusive to 00:30:57.891 --> 00:30:58.991 certain things going forward. 00:31:01.186 --> 00:31:01.686 Oh, I like it. 00:31:02.047 --> 00:31:02.768 You make it yours. 00:31:02.788 --> 00:31:04.868 You make it something special and it makes 00:31:04.909 --> 00:31:05.788 it more marketable. 00:31:07.029 --> 00:31:08.851 Smart marketing one-on-one right there. 00:31:10.550 --> 00:31:12.612 You drop an exclusive with an exclusive 00:31:12.652 --> 00:31:13.992 story on it that you can only get 00:31:14.012 --> 00:31:15.012 in the physical copy. 00:31:15.973 --> 00:31:17.134 It's genius. 00:31:18.035 --> 00:31:20.556 So let's jump into some rapid fire 00:31:20.615 --> 00:31:21.096 questions. 00:31:21.135 --> 00:31:22.016 Ross, you ready? 00:31:23.977 --> 00:31:24.637 Absolutely. 00:31:25.718 --> 00:31:27.519 Favorite fantasy universe. 00:31:30.691 --> 00:31:34.172 My favorite fantasy movie, 00:31:35.093 --> 00:31:37.933 I'm going to say Star Wars. 00:31:37.953 --> 00:31:41.315 See, that would have been the sci-fi one. 00:31:41.355 --> 00:31:42.115 That was next. 00:31:42.195 --> 00:31:44.455 But I will take Star Wars as an 00:31:44.576 --> 00:31:45.076 answer for both. 00:31:45.376 --> 00:31:49.258 See, Star Trek is sci-fi. 00:31:49.979 --> 00:31:51.278 Star Wars is fantasy. 00:31:51.798 --> 00:31:52.098 Okay. 00:31:52.339 --> 00:31:54.180 Hey, hey. 00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.500 Potatoes and potatoes. 00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:58.621 Star Wars was an acceptable answer for 00:31:58.661 --> 00:32:00.082 both, in my opinion, 00:32:00.102 --> 00:32:01.663 because I am a Star Wars guy, 00:32:02.202 --> 00:32:04.844 not a Star Trek guy. 00:32:04.884 --> 00:32:07.005 So what was a book that influenced you 00:32:07.144 --> 00:32:10.926 to become a writer? 00:32:11.146 --> 00:32:14.429 Oh, so there's been a couple of books. 00:32:15.849 --> 00:32:19.872 Growing up, I always pronounce it wrong. 00:32:20.372 --> 00:32:23.314 Aragon, the dragon book. 00:32:23.773 --> 00:32:24.193 Yes, that was one. 00:32:24.213 --> 00:32:25.194 I know what you're talking about. 00:32:27.932 --> 00:32:29.834 Now, granted, 00:32:29.854 --> 00:32:31.734 I've been to many book fairs, 00:32:32.895 --> 00:32:36.358 and that was one book that I absolutely 00:32:36.439 --> 00:32:36.898 wanted, 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:38.861 and that was a book that I bought. 00:32:40.061 --> 00:32:43.984 That book had influenced me greatly going 00:32:44.005 --> 00:32:44.365 through. 00:32:46.247 --> 00:32:47.748 I don't know if people consider comic 00:32:47.768 --> 00:32:48.848 books books, 00:32:49.469 --> 00:32:52.612 but there were a couple comic books books. 00:32:54.866 --> 00:32:56.928 true very true you read you read them 00:32:57.048 --> 00:33:00.490 so but yeah i mean uh zero hour 00:33:00.549 --> 00:33:04.391 from from dc okay with uh hal jordan 00:33:04.730 --> 00:33:08.173 you know being the big bad that influenced 00:33:08.232 --> 00:33:12.275 me greatly it odd little fact that also 00:33:12.315 --> 00:33:14.435 made hal jordan my favorite character in 00:33:15.175 --> 00:33:18.897 my books kind of a weird twist hot 00:33:18.938 --> 00:33:21.878 take if you will hey um i mean 00:33:21.898 --> 00:33:23.199 you're the one person i would say that 00:33:23.259 --> 00:33:24.119 roots for hal jordan 00:33:26.782 --> 00:33:27.682 I love Hal Jordan. 00:33:28.483 --> 00:33:31.565 Absolutely not too psyched about his suit. 00:33:31.585 --> 00:33:32.405 Ladies and gentlemen, 00:33:32.486 --> 00:33:33.925 we have found that one person. 00:33:33.965 --> 00:33:34.066 Hey, 00:33:34.125 --> 00:33:40.628 let's leave Ryan Reynolds out of this. 00:33:40.909 --> 00:33:42.289 But yes, 00:33:43.191 --> 00:33:46.332 I would say that whether it was Aragon 00:33:46.372 --> 00:33:48.792 or with comic books, 00:33:48.813 --> 00:33:50.534 that's kind of what really pushed me into 00:33:50.594 --> 00:33:50.653 it. 00:33:52.028 --> 00:33:54.209 So if a Knight's title became a film 00:33:54.329 --> 00:33:54.990 or a series, 00:33:55.009 --> 00:33:57.250 would you want live action or animation? 00:33:59.413 --> 00:34:00.273 That's a good question. 00:34:00.493 --> 00:34:02.615 And I actually have, 00:34:03.055 --> 00:34:03.915 I've made it kind of, 00:34:04.215 --> 00:34:07.417 I've said it to many people that the 00:34:07.438 --> 00:34:09.920 goal with it is an animated series. 00:34:11.516 --> 00:34:14.498 I'm looking for longevity-wise and just 00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:15.898 knowing actors' age. 00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:18.360 And I'm all now with AI, who knows? 00:34:19.300 --> 00:34:21.802 But animated-wise, 00:34:22.001 --> 00:34:24.583 I think it would definitely pertain better 00:34:24.623 --> 00:34:26.565 to the overall long story format. 00:34:27.204 --> 00:34:28.706 I think that voice acting, 00:34:28.846 --> 00:34:30.266 they can voice act for a long time. 00:34:30.847 --> 00:34:33.168 I think the longevity of animated is what 00:34:33.427 --> 00:34:33.827 I want. 00:34:33.887 --> 00:34:35.688 I think it also fits it much better 00:34:35.708 --> 00:34:36.510 than live action. 00:34:36.650 --> 00:34:37.010 Yeah. 00:34:37.070 --> 00:34:38.650 But I would not be opposed to live 00:34:38.690 --> 00:34:38.971 action. 00:34:39.050 --> 00:34:40.010 Okay. 00:34:41.496 --> 00:34:43.717 One word that describes your world 00:34:43.757 --> 00:34:48.778 building style. 00:34:48.838 --> 00:34:49.478 Brand. 00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:53.920 I like it. 00:34:53.960 --> 00:34:55.940 I'm a brand world builder. 00:34:56.920 --> 00:34:58.902 So everything's kind of big. 00:34:59.342 --> 00:35:00.882 Go big or go home is kind of 00:35:01.543 --> 00:35:03.083 the idea that popped in my head when 00:35:03.103 --> 00:35:04.063 I started all this. 00:35:04.923 --> 00:35:05.184 Yeah. 00:35:06.043 --> 00:35:08.043 So coffee, tea, 00:35:08.344 --> 00:35:10.065 or energy drinks while you're working? 00:35:12.463 --> 00:35:12.943 Oh, coffee. 00:35:13.762 --> 00:35:14.864 I drink so much coffee, 00:35:14.884 --> 00:35:15.643 it's not even funny. 00:35:16.304 --> 00:35:17.684 I always make the joke that when I 00:35:17.744 --> 00:35:18.125 die, 00:35:18.385 --> 00:35:20.306 I'll probably still keep going for three 00:35:20.346 --> 00:35:21.965 weeks because of all the coffee I've 00:35:22.005 --> 00:35:22.505 consumed. 00:35:23.266 --> 00:35:24.847 So yeah, it's coffee. 00:35:25.186 --> 00:35:28.128 Coffee without a doubt. 00:35:28.347 --> 00:35:29.748 Your favorite character you've written? 00:35:32.318 --> 00:35:37.740 Oh, my favorite character I've written. 00:35:37.820 --> 00:35:40.302 That would actually end up being for 00:35:40.342 --> 00:35:41.682 something that has not come out yet. 00:35:43.443 --> 00:35:46.045 It's kind of a medieval, 00:35:46.085 --> 00:35:48.067 just pure medieval style story. 00:35:49.086 --> 00:35:51.449 It's... 00:35:54.269 --> 00:35:56.351 more so philosophical than a lot of stuff 00:35:56.371 --> 00:35:57.932 that i yeah i kind of write more 00:35:57.972 --> 00:36:01.655 so you know the sci-fi fantasy stuff but 00:36:02.416 --> 00:36:04.338 the character in that is kind of been 00:36:04.498 --> 00:36:06.420 a character i've ever written it's kind of 00:36:06.440 --> 00:36:07.940 really deep kind of really makes you think 00:36:07.981 --> 00:36:09.503 about stuff it really makes you think 00:36:09.523 --> 00:36:15.688 about life okay um the most rewarding part 00:36:15.987 --> 00:36:17.168 of being an indie author 00:36:19.938 --> 00:36:22.679 It's just you're kind of more connected to 00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:23.820 people who read it, 00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:27.262 who consume your content. 00:36:27.882 --> 00:36:30.023 The downside to kind of being in the 00:36:30.083 --> 00:36:31.143 bigger side of it, you know, 00:36:31.164 --> 00:36:34.085 the big publisher or Hollywood or 00:36:34.105 --> 00:36:34.425 whatever, 00:36:34.445 --> 00:36:36.445 you kind of get separated from the people 00:36:36.465 --> 00:36:37.126 that consume it. 00:36:37.306 --> 00:36:38.786 And I think it can kind of, 00:36:38.927 --> 00:36:39.628 when that happens, 00:36:39.668 --> 00:36:41.168 you can kind of lose track of what 00:36:41.188 --> 00:36:43.389 you're doing and why you do it. 00:36:43.409 --> 00:36:43.690 Yeah. 00:36:43.710 --> 00:36:46.231 Oh, that's interesting. 00:36:47.887 --> 00:36:48.610 Yeah. 00:36:48.690 --> 00:36:51.342 One piece of advice for creators trying to 00:36:51.362 --> 00:36:52.487 build their own universe. 00:36:55.793 --> 00:36:56.434 I never give up. 00:36:57.755 --> 00:36:58.556 I just never give up. 00:36:59.036 --> 00:36:59.456 Keep going. 00:37:00.177 --> 00:37:01.478 I mean, you know, 00:37:01.518 --> 00:37:03.759 unless you truly come to the conclusion 00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:07.481 that, you know, this is not for you, 00:37:07.501 --> 00:37:08.242 just keep going. 00:37:08.322 --> 00:37:11.505 I mean, you could literally be, you know, 00:37:12.164 --> 00:37:15.748 one story away from going viral and, 00:37:16.128 --> 00:37:16.867 you know, 00:37:16.887 --> 00:37:18.168 getting all this attention that you've 00:37:18.188 --> 00:37:19.990 been looking for and for your stuff to 00:37:20.130 --> 00:37:24.253 reach a much larger and grander audience. 00:37:25.313 --> 00:37:27.255 and if you end up getting up on 00:37:27.295 --> 00:37:29.739 it that'll never happen so that's kind of 00:37:29.759 --> 00:37:31.519 been what i've stuck to is just not 00:37:31.539 --> 00:37:34.722 giving up just keep going yeah all right 00:37:34.762 --> 00:37:40.248 ross i'm gonna give you two minutes i 00:37:40.289 --> 00:37:42.811 don't think you need two minutes sell a 00:37:42.871 --> 00:37:44.492 knight's title to everyone 00:37:48.650 --> 00:37:50.672 All right, let's let's do this. 00:37:50.871 --> 00:37:55.157 So it's a new world that sucks you 00:37:55.336 --> 00:37:55.556 in. 00:37:55.677 --> 00:37:58.820 It introduces you to characters that make 00:37:58.840 --> 00:38:01.103 you question who you are as a person 00:38:01.684 --> 00:38:04.226 and makes you realize that the overall 00:38:04.286 --> 00:38:06.088 world that you live in is. 00:38:06.949 --> 00:38:09.331 kind of just grander than what you think 00:38:09.371 --> 00:38:10.032 it is every day. 00:38:11.273 --> 00:38:14.677 It makes you realize that the person next 00:38:14.697 --> 00:38:17.460 to you is just as grand as you 00:38:17.561 --> 00:38:17.780 are, 00:38:18.081 --> 00:38:20.384 and the story will reflect a lot of 00:38:20.423 --> 00:38:21.405 moments in your life. 00:38:22.106 --> 00:38:25.887 Whether it's happy moments or the sad, 00:38:26.027 --> 00:38:28.128 as I've been known to write tragedy a 00:38:28.208 --> 00:38:28.548 lot. 00:38:28.869 --> 00:38:30.929 And A Knight's Title just, 00:38:31.389 --> 00:38:34.190 it kind of washes away all the concerns 00:38:34.210 --> 00:38:35.110 that you have about life. 00:38:35.771 --> 00:38:36.351 Sucks you in. 00:38:37.092 --> 00:38:39.313 It makes you just feel like you're on 00:38:39.333 --> 00:38:40.233 a ride of your life. 00:38:40.833 --> 00:38:42.574 And you never want to put it down. 00:38:42.614 --> 00:38:43.675 You just want the next episode. 00:38:43.695 --> 00:38:46.036 That's my biggest problem is I don't have 00:38:46.056 --> 00:38:47.655 the next episode soon enough for you guys. 00:38:47.695 --> 00:38:50.777 So that is what A Knight's Title is 00:38:50.818 --> 00:38:50.998 for. 00:38:52.418 --> 00:38:54.639 absolutely you can never not have the next 00:38:54.699 --> 00:38:58.240 episode fast enough especially i mean 00:38:58.260 --> 00:38:59.420 we're not we're in this world where 00:38:59.481 --> 00:39:01.282 everybody wants the things right now and 00:39:01.302 --> 00:39:06.643 i'm not fast enough yet i think we 00:39:06.704 --> 00:39:09.184 all run into that problem so russell tell 00:39:09.284 --> 00:39:12.547 everybody where they can find you in the 00:39:12.606 --> 00:39:13.246 night's title 00:39:24.184 --> 00:39:25.844 You can find it and check it out 00:39:25.985 --> 00:39:28.186 at anightstitle.com. 00:39:28.867 --> 00:39:29.766 That'll take you right to it. 00:39:30.367 --> 00:39:31.248 There is the omnibus, 00:39:31.288 --> 00:39:33.048 which is available on Amazon. 00:39:33.688 --> 00:39:34.889 But in general, 00:39:35.230 --> 00:39:35.909 if you want to find it, 00:39:36.130 --> 00:39:37.391 it's at anightstitle.com. 00:39:39.755 --> 00:39:40.775 There you have it, folks. 00:39:41.474 --> 00:39:41.855 Russ, 00:39:42.235 --> 00:39:44.295 I want to thank you for coming on 00:39:44.315 --> 00:39:44.695 tonight, 00:39:44.936 --> 00:39:47.456 sharing a night's title with everybody. 00:39:49.436 --> 00:39:50.817 I know we've had a little bit of 00:39:52.217 --> 00:39:53.297 microphone issues. 00:39:53.956 --> 00:39:55.318 Hopefully it doesn't bleed through. 00:39:57.117 --> 00:39:57.657 We'll see. 00:39:58.038 --> 00:39:59.217 I'm hoping that isn't the case. 00:39:59.237 --> 00:40:00.478 I'm hoping when I go to listen back 00:40:00.539 --> 00:40:00.798 later, 00:40:00.838 --> 00:40:02.699 everything sounds perfect and it's just my 00:40:02.739 --> 00:40:06.239 headset, which it very well could be. 00:40:06.298 --> 00:40:07.920 So I will let you know either way 00:40:08.099 --> 00:40:09.039 on that. 00:40:09.079 --> 00:40:09.260 But 00:40:11.822 --> 00:40:14.023 Every universe begins with a single 00:40:14.063 --> 00:40:16.003 decision to write, to build, 00:40:16.264 --> 00:40:17.065 to keep going, 00:40:17.304 --> 00:40:20.085 even when no one is watching. 00:40:20.726 --> 00:40:22.385 Russell didn't wait for permission. 00:40:22.525 --> 00:40:24.367 He didn't wait for a gatekeeper. 00:40:24.726 --> 00:40:26.728 He built his own galaxy. 00:40:27.188 --> 00:40:29.248 And that is the Andy spirit. 00:40:30.088 --> 00:40:31.528 And here at USDN, 00:40:32.090 --> 00:40:33.269 that's what we spotlight. 00:40:34.365 --> 00:40:35.146 Russell, again, 00:40:35.226 --> 00:40:37.226 thank you for stepping into the council 00:40:37.266 --> 00:40:37.728 tonight. 00:40:38.148 --> 00:40:39.307 And to everyone watching, 00:40:39.347 --> 00:40:41.969 if you believe in creator-owned worlds, 00:40:42.050 --> 00:40:44.490 if you believe in building something from 00:40:44.570 --> 00:40:47.692 nothing, support Indie Storytellers. 00:40:48.393 --> 00:40:50.853 Subscribe, follow Russell, 00:40:51.273 --> 00:40:53.474 dive into a Knight's title, 00:40:53.894 --> 00:40:55.556 because the future of storytelling, 00:40:56.056 --> 00:40:58.797 it isn't inherited, it's forged. 00:41:00.322 --> 00:41:01.083 Ladies and gentlemen, 00:41:01.103 --> 00:41:03.364 the Council of Nerds is adjourned, 00:41:03.885 --> 00:41:06.708 and this has been the USDN Podcast, 00:41:07.168 --> 00:41:09.552 where indie comics come to life. 00:41:10.472 --> 00:41:13.096 Y'all stay safe out there. 00:41:13.115 --> 00:41:14.157 It was good seeing you. 00:41:53.202 --> 00:41:53.608 Hey, Russ.