Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Basis for Characters



I get asked a lot of questions on whether I base my characters on real people. It's a mix of what I observe in real life (how an actor looks in an action film etc) and what my artists interpret my characters to look like. I basically just give my artists a description of hair color, body build, outfits, etc. and they go from there. It's just depends on the interpretation. But the point is, they have to look badass.

There are some real-life people in the comic book. Myself, for instance, as the "author" character, and my friends and their band logos. My artists asked me what I wanted some of the characters from the script to look like (example, the background characters such as vampires who fight a main character etc) and I decided to have my friend's images in the comic book, for fun, so they get to be characters in a scene, and to help promote their bands too.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Why I Chose To Self-Publish



I chose to self-publish because have more control over my work and more freedom in decision-making, and my work actually gets to reach an audience.

There is a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in creating and producing something myself. I see success as being able to do what I love.  But I also view what I do as a business, and one where I learn to wear many hats and gain more knowledge on what to do and how to do it. I get to do exactly what a traditional publisher does: marketing, press, production, promotion, sales etc., although on a much smaller scale. Being a self-publisher does not make you any less of an author, but you do have more control.

I also don't have to wait for someone to do something for me. I can get things moving right away and on my own timeline. I can add my works to as many online platforms: downloadable formats, etc., and create merchandise when I want to.

I also became a self-publisher because I’ve heard many writers complain that they can’t get noticed by an audience. I feel that as a writer, you may be more likely to be noticed if you establish a track record that you produced something, even if it’s self-published.

But there's something a lot of writers often forget: you have to think of yourself as a business and run yourself as a business, no matter what. You have to learn to balance both creativity and business. You have to show that you can provide a product as well. An audience wants to see a "result", and a product.

I see a lot of writers wait for someone to "pick them up" for publishing or someone to do things for them, or they never finish what they started, saying that "someday" they will be recognized, but with no further action. So even though you can say you are working on something, waiting to hopefully hear back from a publisher, or planning to write your novel "someday", it still takes action on your part to get to where you want to be. You are more likely to be taken seriously if you have produced something tangible.

It’s like walking up to an investor and saying “Can you invest in me, and in my product?” Potential investors will ask why, and if you just say “I just have this cool idea, it's in the works”,  people are going to wonder if you are even serious about actually having something finished. And if all you have are ideas and you never finish anything, you will likely be turned down because they don’t see a product or its potential. You’re asking an audience to “invest”, both emotionally and monetarily, in your work, but if you don’t have anything to show other than ideas or talks of plans to get a project done, you may not get the results or success you want.

So if you want an audience to see you as an author, publish something: a blog with your work, a novel through an online publishing company,  go for it.

What Inspires my Writing?



I often joke that I'm a "recovering Catholic". Since childhood, I used to be taught that instead of helping myself and finding a solution to my problems, that I should just suffer and pray and wait for something to "save" me and that something--often an angel---would solve all my problems for me.

But now,  I question a guardian angel’s "job" of protecting and helping humans, and why is it that we have to pray to something whenever we need help. I wanted to explore an alternate view that perhaps guardian angels are sick of us relying on them and that human whining and prayers just made them completely snap.

I call it "Heaven's Customer Service Hotline"  gone terribly wrong.  I wanted to create something disturbing from something supposedly protective, because we really don't know who or what it is we are praying to.

Since I was a child, I always questioned people's belief in a supernatural, supposedly higher power and why we relied on a supposedly higher supernatural power that we can’t see to save us.

And what better way to explore all this than through horror, since horror is a genre that pushes the envelope. I use it to question people’s beliefs in terms of what pop culture considers “saviors”, but in a fictional sense.

And just because I'm messing with people's  image of a guardian angel doesn't mean I'm condemning it or being disrespectful. I'm questioning it. I question why we put so much blind faith in a higher power to help us and we don't even know what it is we are summoning. That's the whole point of my books and films.

I've just taken "angel rebellion" to a more disturbing level.

Copyright Lia Scott Price

Fan Reactions

I'm surprised by the reaction from fans, who have been incredibly supportive. I'm very thankful for their support and feedback. Reactions have ranged from fascination to enthusiasm that I created a vampire that’s original, new, different, evil and brutal and still gives homage to the classic scary vampire, and that it’s refreshing to see something scary and very edgy. People understand that I'm not out to condemn any beliefs, and that I'm simply using horror to turn what's "normal" and ordinary into something creepy.


Sunday, November 10, 2013

A Terrifying New Serial Killer



My goal is to create a high-quality, masterfully illustrated, underground comic book outside of the mainstream, and create and feature something original about vampires. I didn't want to follow the typical Vampire norm. I wanted to create a Vampire that was very unique, something no one has ever seen before, and one that was a serial killer as well.

My comic book series has an entirely different vampire storyline. They are new, vampires that are also holy entities: a cross breed between Guardian Angel and Vampire. But they kill very specific victims.  Their way of serial killing is limited: you have to pray to one for help for them to target you. And when they do find you, you meet your end in a very bloody way. Their purpose is to fuck with you and toy with you out of sheer hatred-- and hunger, and to shut you up because they are rebelling against their role of answering prayers and protecting humans. So they have specific motives and specific victims--and that's what makes them so fascinating.

To these serial killers, humans are just mindless, cult-like, religion-obsessed fanatics who rely on a higher power to save them and who constantly nag supernatural entities for help. These entities, the Guardian Angels, feel enslaved, and once they become Vampires, make it their mission to wipe out the human race. But they are limited and constrained on how they can do so, because they are can only target "believers". This is because human prayers act as a "beacon". It's like they want to rid themselves of the "human voices in their heads", so they start by targeting those people who were the source of the prayers. (So if you don't pray--or whine to them---you're safe---for now.)

So when you think you're calling for help to something that will help you, like your own Guardian Angel, you may just be calling for something that hates you--and will make a meal out of you. Never thought of that, did you?

And that, is what makes my Vampires so terrifying.

Copyright Lia Scott Price

Comic Book Series Artists at Comikaze 2013


 Andrew Setter and Chad Hammontree

Writer/Creator Lia Scott Price with Artist Andrew Setter

Chad Hammontree and Andrew Setter

Lia Scott Price, Chad Hammontree, and Andrew Setter


Comic Book Series is One Year Old!


My Vampire Guardian Angels comic book series is now about a year and a half or so old! The first issue was released in May 2012, the second on September 2012, and the third issue on February 2013! The series is so far well received, the images are beautifully done, the printing quality by createspace is superb, the series has 5 star amazon reviews, and we sold out at Comikaze! This has been an incredible year and we have many more issues in the works!  Issue 4 is almost here!

Just wanted to thank my artists Andrew Setter and Chad Hammontree again! Thanks guys for all your hard work and dedication to my Vampire Guardian Angels comic book series. You both are amazing, talented, skilled artists and incredible people and friends! Also want to thank my wonderful friends who help run my Vampire Guardian Angels fan page, Chet Almas and Terri Yamson-Almas. I really appreciate your time, care and help and your awesome support! And thank you thank you especially to my friends, supporters, and fans of the comic book series, and to my awesome hubby Mike Naz, for all your inspiring and  great comments, shares, and support and thank you to the talented writers and bloggers and the media who have written about the series and for all you do to help promote the series! Without you all, the series would not have made it this far and it will keep going! More bloody goodness to come! 

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Discounted Prices at Events



I will announce the conventions that I will be exhibiting at on social media so be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

I will have discounted prices on hard copies of my signed comic books, and free autographed photos and stickers, and appearances by my comic book artists!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Comikaze 2013 Recap Day 3


Day 3:

By mid afternoon and Sunday Day 3, we handed out stickers and business cards, My friend Erick Avina who runs a Geek Podcast did an interview with me and my artists. 

I also met the Comic Book Men and saw the great Stan Lee walk by my table! 

AMC's The Comic Book Men

A Stan Lee sighting!

We also saw Michael Rooker of The Walking Dead and Ron Jeremy!

And here are some of our awesome Artist Alley Tablemates/Boothmates:

 Angelo's Comix

 The Devil's Playground Burlesque

 Mark Thompson of Monstark Studios

I also lost my voice by Day 3, was exhausted, but it was worth it! I loved talking with the fans! 

We drove my artists back to LAX for their flight back to Missouri, and I was really happy I was able to have them there at the convention. They had an awesome time!

Artists Andrew Setter and Chad Hammontree

I'm glad I managed to bring my artists to Comikaze this year, and we plan to do this every year. I'm glad I was able to give them the opportunity to network, see their favorite artists, market their work, and show their talent to the world!  Andrew and Chad have such a unique talent with drawing, sketching, and coloring. I can rely on them to  bring my Vampire Guardian Angel characters to life. It's like they have this uncanny ability to read my mind. They get on paper exactly what I want.  And working with them long distance was surprisingly easy. They keep me updated and I really don't have to worry much because I know the end results will be spectacular!

Comikaze was basically a trial run and testing ground to introduce the comic books to potential fans. The feedback from attendees and people I spoke to about the characters and the concept was really positive. One person I met basically asked me a lot of very detailed questions about the characters and after i explained each of the stories, the response was "You know what, that (concept) works. I'm already curious to see how the stories continue. It's such an original concept and really interesting, and how amazing it was for me to have created this whole new Vampire world!" In general, people love the concept, the stories, and the one thing they kept saying was "I can't wait to read what happens next!"

I'm glad to have had this opportunity to introduce people to my comic books and characters, and for them to actually see the artists at work and to talk to us about the process of making the comic book and bringing the characters to life! And they got actual signed copies from all 3 of us of the issues! It's amazing for the fans to meet the actual writer and artists, and we were honored to meet our current and new fans!

Thank you to all our current fans and friends who have been supporting us, and thank you to new fans, welcome to our world! We appreciate you all!



Comikaze 2013 Recap Day 2 Continued


Day 2 Continued:

My artist Andrew Setter was so cool, doing sketches for kids and attendees of their favorite superheroes! People would also stop by to watch him draw! 








Comikaze 2013 Recap Day 2

Day 2:

Here we are at our table at Comikaze! Thank you Photographer Ray Rodriguez for the photos!

Writer/Creator Lia Scott Price and Artist Andrew Setter. Photo by Ray Rodriguez

Writer/Creator Lia Scott Price, Artist Chad Hammontree, and Artist Andrew Setter. Photo by Ray Rodriguez

Writer/Creator Lia Scott Price and Artist Chad Hammontree. Photo by Ray Rodriguez


We actually sold out of comic books on Day 2! 


Feedback from people at Comikaze was that was incredible for a new comic book that was not mainstream, it was unheard of to be sold out at such a huge convention, especially for new artists and writers people had not heard of yet. The cover art was what drew people, the quality of the comic books and the awesome black, white and red artwork. Also, We were meeting fans of the more traditional, vicious, bloody and brutal Vampires and that was what attracted them to the comic books, the characters, and the storyline, and the fact that it was such a unique concept and an original comic book and a different take on Vampires. It was something they had never seen before!

While we were at Comikaze I was uploading photos and posting status updates from the event, and again, a big big thank you to the admins of my Vampire Guardian Angels Facebook Fan Page, Chet Almas and Terri Yamson-Almas, for sharing the photos and keeping up with the chaos! And thank you to all the shares and likes on my Facebook pages and Instagram  page, and for the RT's on my Twitter page!

Here are some fan pics! We thank the fans for supporting us and the comic books. We are grateful to to the fans and readers for spreading the word about our vicious vampires! Thank you for coming by our table at Comikaze to speak to us and find out more about our work, and it was great to meet new fans, current fans, and readers!






Enthraller represents!

Thank you Enthraller! \m/


 Enthraller represents!

Death Embraced represents! 




















Comikaze 2013 Recap Day 1

This weekend was an amazing first! First time for my artists to visit Los Angeles and the first time we all actually met face to face after working together on my comic book series through text, phone, ad email. This was our first comic book convention and first time at Comikaze, and our experience there was absolutely awesome!

Halloween Night, 2013:
After picking up my artists from the Airport (LAX) on Halloween night (during which  we introduced them to In n' Out Burger, LA traffic, and a drive through Inglewood and "da hood"). I flew them in from Missouri!

Andrew Setter, Lia Scott Price, and Chad Hammontree

 Stuck in LA traffic

 My artists' first In-N-Out burger in Inglewood

 The view from our Hotel, The Sheraton Downtown Los Angeles

Day 1:
We made out way to the Los Angeles Convention Center to set up our table before the convention opened, and it was amazing to see all the people waiting to get in! 



We had a table in Artist Alley by Legacy Effects, it was a great location with a lot of potential traffic! 



Thank you Comikaze for the great spot! For our first time there, we really appreciate all the effort it took to put together such a massive event. The organizers were very professional and incredibly helpful!

We spent Day 1 setting up in the morning before the event opened that afternoon.

 Our Exhibitor Badges

My artists and I signing comic books

Signed comic books!

All set up and ready to go!

We continued to put the word out about our Artist alley Table through social media: Facebook and Twitter, to let fans know that my artists and I had signed comic books (signed by me and my two artists), free autographed photos and stickers! I also want to thank the admins of my Vampire Guardian Angels Fan Page on Facebook, Chet Almas and Terri Yamson-Almas, for sharing the photos and updates I was posting! We had a lot of visitors and met new fans and readers!

And the costumes were awesome! I met some attendees who made/fabricated their own costumes!  Such amazing talent and dedication!

My new friend Jesus in his costume!