Progress Report

I have three creative projects currently in process. The first is this blog; I aim to communicate with the outside world from this mysterious location between my ears, with a goal of sending a message daily at least weekdays.

Then there's the continuing adventures of Myke Phoenix, stalwart protector of Astor City. Conceived nearly a quarter-century ago, Myke finally was revealed to the world in 2008. I began churning out new adventures early this year for Kindle, two new stories within three weeks. The next batch will probably come out in a flurry, too.

Finally, there's Uncle Warren's Attic, the podcast. Been 80 of 'em. I don't want to produce an 81st without plans for more beyond that. Working on that. No, really.

On the side there's the day job, and the animals, and the yard work. I can't use them as an excuse for any lack of visible progress because last summer, when we moved twice and built a house, I managed to write a novel (also available for Kindle, by the by).

A friend of mine left a simple motivating comment not too long ago during a dry spell: "Writers write." I call myself a writer. So I'm writing. By the way, if you call yourself a writer, you should be writing, too. Today and every day. It's easy to call yourself a writer. But what have you written?

Announcement

Doing some spring cleaning and assessment, and I have come to the conclusion that the Myke Phoenix emagazine has not been successful enough to continue for the time being. Therefore the release of Myke #4 is postponed indefinitely.

The good news is that lessons learned in developing this project can be applied to my various other projects. And I am too fond of Paul Phillips, Dana Dunsmore, Hi Dawson and their host of evil adversaries to let them sit in limbo forever.

You can speed the day toward their return – or catch up on what you've been missing – by taking a look at Myke #1, Myke #2 and Myke #3 or even Myke Phoenix Quarterly #1, and then sharing your enthusiasm with the world.

As for my other projects, they include the Uncle Warren's Attic podcast, a growing stable of ebooks and a slew of paperbacks that are worth reading.

Thanks for checking out Myke Phoenix over the years, and please know this is just a detour, not the end of the road.

Myke Phoenix #3: The Strange Ultimatum of Quincy Quakenbos

 This just in from the Myke Phoenix blog: A new edition of my monthly superhero sensation.

An odd duck-man tests the limits of our mysterious superhero by holding Astor City hostage. Well, how else do you determine what the big guy can do? The latest edition of our free adventure e-magazine is now live! Read it below – read/download it on Issuu – or download a copy by clicking here. 

Two things to know: Watch for the cover of Myke Phoenix #3 to change from what you see as this edition is released on March 15, 2012. That’s all I’m sayin’ for now.

Also: April will bring something new. If you’ve followed the adventures of Myke Phoenix so far, you know that these first three issues have been essentially the same stories that appeared in the now out-of-print book The Adventures of Myke Phoenix. From now on, it gets more interesting.

Be around on the Ides of April for the first completely new Myke Phoenix story in, well, 20 years: “The Decline and Fall of Alan Pinkstaff.” If it doesn’t rock your proverbial socks off, well, then.

And remember you can purchase an authentic, collectible dead-tree edition of the first three stories in Myke Phoenix Quarterly #1, available for the ridiculously low price of $7.99 plus shipping at this address.

And now, sit back and enjoy "The Strange Ultimatum of Quincy Quakenbos":

Open publication - Free publishing - More adventure

Myke Phoenix Quarterly #1

The adventures of Myke Phoenix are available every month absolutely free in electronic form – but some people just like the feel of paper in their hands. There's something about turning pages to see what happens next ...

For those who like their old-fashioned superhero adventures the old-fashioned way, Myke Phoenix Quarterly will collect these adventures three at a time – and released two weeks before the third e-magazine in the series. In this case, the timeless tale of "The Strange Ultimatum of Quincy Quakenbos" will be available only on paper until the ides of March.

Click here to buy your collectible Myke Phoenix Quarterly #1 for a mere $7.99 plus shipping.

Myke Phoenix #2: Prince of the World

The leader of a postage-stamp principality has an insane plan that involves a bold assassination and ruling the world, and only Myke Phoenix can stop him!

Here, as promised on the ides of February, is the second edition of the online adventures of Myke Phoenix.

And on Page 52 learn about my revised plans for a collectible paperback edition!

Click on the cover art to download Myke Phoenix #2 directly, or go to the Myke Phoenix blog to read the magazine online.

Audio promo for Myke Phoenix

While revving up the new Attic studio, I whipped together this little ad for the new Myke Phoenix free monthly emagazine. Listen to the promo, then click on the cover art to download your very own copy.

What do you think? Leave comments below or email me.

If the embedded audio player doesn't work, try this.

Launch: A new free monthly e-adventure

Click here to download Myke Phoenix #1

The year was 1990, more or less. The cold war was over, people were still allowed to smoke on the job, 9/11 was still six years off, and local radio stations had local personalities on the air almost 24/7.

And I had this idea about reviving the dime novel. OK, not the dime novel per se. What I had in mind was something about the length of a comic book, but in text.

My hero’s name was Myke Phoenix.

You can read more about it by clicking "Read more" — or just click on the caption under the cover art for your free e-magazine.

The first review is in

A long time ago in a state far, far away, I somehow encountered a fellow teenager named Wally Conger, who like me was a comic book fan. Oddly, we became friends, odd because we never met (to this day!), he was a Californian and I was a New Jersey kid. There's something in our makeup that overcomes that little 3,000-mile gap (now more like 2,000 since I've become a converted Badger). He published fanzines, one of which was called Fantasy World and featured superhero and science-fiction stories. I contributed tales of a guy I named H-Man.

I mentioned FW and H-Man when I put Wally in touch with the world of Myke Phoenix, and he understood completely judging from the review he posted this week. Thanks Wally!

Branching into print

"The universe shifted, and something dark burst from a yawning crack in the nature of being."

That's how The Adventures of Myke Phoenix begins. What happens next is kind of fun, if I do say so myself. You should buy it (or download it) and check it out for yourself.

Go ahead. Check it out.

Uncle Warren's Attic 48: Myke Phoenix Rising

He's ba-ack ... with a sneak preview of the new book The Adventures of Myke Phoenix, along with a smattering of other shtuff: "In Malibu" by Johnny Proctor ... and off the 78's, "Learn to Do the Strut," written by Irving Berlin and performed by The Georgians ... "A Little Bit of Heaven" by Charles Harrison ... "My Eyes (Get Me in Trouble)" by the inimitable Muddy Waters ... and the "William Tell Overture" by the even more inimitable Spike Jones and his Orchestra.

Click the "pod" graphic, download here, or press play on the player up there on the right.