High School was finally over. I was free…and all I could think about was the future. Everything was finally going my way, and today was the guys day out. The sun was hot, the pool was cool and we didn’t have a worry in the world. Just two buddies, kicking back and living large.
“I’ll tell ya Evan, it wasn’t easy—breaking it to my mom like that,but it had to be done.” I smirked.
“Let’s face it, there’s never a ‘right time’. So I walked into the kitchen and let it out: ‘Mom, I love you. I know this is hard, but I’m not a child anymore. I’m moving out.’
“I’m telling you Evan, it felt good—to break free of the nest…a man on his own!”
Oh, I was gloating with that last sentence. Today, I was a man.
Leaning deeply into my chair, put my hands behind my neck—turning my face to the heat of the sun.
There was a sound of air being sucked through a small vacuum, and then…
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
The winds are so wild and chaotic this day. There’s little difficulty in discerning why, and I am filled with joy that this time has come, regardless of the opposition from the Council. It’s time to bring the child back to his home world—to take upon himself the mantle of his family and become the Hero he was foreordained to become.
I watch the movements of that distant world upon the sands of space and time, something which has always been my gift, and one of the reasons I lead the Council, even now.
To see the rhythm of the Universe and to understand how a decision on one planet can affect the whole race on another is something so rare—so…why do my brethren persist in fighting me on this issue?
It’s time to bring the child home, and we must do it quickly and in secret.
The small world called Earth, where humans—unaware of their origins or their destiny, flaunt what they believe to be a superior intelligence and existence. Their arrogance and assumptions are so far reaching, it is amazing they are able to progress as a society at all. I have observed their history over the ages, and it is quite funny, really.
They ‘knew’ they were the center of the universe.
They ‘knew’ the planet was flat.
They ‘knew’ that nothing existed smaller than the human eye could see.
They ‘knew’ only the birds and insects could fly upon the wind.
They ‘knew’ so many things,…even if only for a moment. Yet they persist in their attempts to dominate one another, never realizing or comprehending the vastness of creation. That phrase I heard while watching one of their leader elections summed up the Earth race perfectly:
At times you will feel alone and frustrated—as if the world is different and unaccustomed to your presence. You may have a hard time making friends or comprehending the gibberish your teachers try to cram into your brain. It will all pass. Your life is so much bigger than a first date, a test score or acne. Trust me…you will understand as you get older.
I would love to call you by name, but I don’t know what your adoptive parents named you after I placed you in their arms. I couldn’t risk more than getting this information into your hands, without bringing our enemy upon you.
My own friends would have found this crazy—trying to communicate with you like this. The first thing they’d say is ‘It won’t work Wendell…’. Chuck would probably tell me that the Universe is not to be trifled with—that my desires are not important, but rather duty. Always duty. Dax would jump in by telling the old wizard to shut his pie hole and let me do what I wanted, even if it wasn’t going to work.
I don’t think they ever took notice of my journals, even after all those years, trying to record what I learned, experienced and remembered. That, or they didn’t care—though eventually I found some of their own notes in the Great Library to draw information from.
It took time to abridge the records—to clarify it and piece it together so that you could make heads or tails of what really happened. I’m not a writer, even after all these Millennia. I did the best I could, finding new sources of information—among planets and through time. I hoped to be the one person to tell you the whole truth, before you had to decide.
Maybe you’ll believe me, maybe you won’t. I still have a hard time believing all this myself—and I lived it. I can’t tell you everything—the Gem prevents me. Just know that for once in our family—I wanted someone to have a choice.
Oh, there will be those who will say this is all fantasy, it’s all illusion—but don’t you believe it.
It’s all true.
All of it—as real as the nose on your face.
Perhaps it will be enough to prevent you from making the same mistakes I made in the beginning. Perhaps it will help you run and hide and allow you to live out a quiet, non-eventful life as a mortal.
Just know that if a little green man shows up one day, smoking a cigar and he grabs your leg…you don’t need to be afraid. The adventure of a lifetime has just chosen you to do the impossible.
You’re invited to the launch of DC Green’s new children’s book, ‘Erasmus James, King of Kid’s Paradise’! You have two choices of venue:
1) Ulladulla Library. 2.00 pm, Saturday, September 27.
2) Wollongong Library. 10.30 am, Saturday, October 11.
Both launches will feature prizes, giveaways, surprises, dramatic readings, more laughs than a hyena convention and the chance to buy a DC Green book that could be worth billions on e-bay one day!
About Kid’s Paradise
‘Erasmus James, King of Kid’s Paradise’ has already been hailed as ‘far out, funny and fabulous!’ by CoastKids magazine and full of ‘jokes, puns, and witty observations that spit out like machine gun-fire’ by Books Buzz.
Erasmus James (or Raz for short) has become the most famous kid on Earth. He zapps to a tropical world where adults are banned, there are no rules, no bed-times and all the other kids want Raz to be their king! Raz thinks he’s found the best planet in the universe - at least he does, until he learns the dark secret that lurks beneath Kid’s Paradise…
Free E-book!
The first Erasmus book has been turned into a free downloadable e-book! Yes, ‘Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine’ is now 100 % free! If you have a business or website, it would be mega appreciated if you could mention this fabulously free book, available at www.barrelbooks.com
About DC Green
DC Green has won awards writing for surf magazines around the world for over 20 years, and has more recently become the author of children’s books such as ‘Stinky Squad’ and ‘Three Little Surfer Pigs.’
DC spends ten weeks every year touring schools, and has visited over 70 on the South Coast alone, inspiring children with his writing tips, dramatic readings and ‘world’s worst rapping’.
For Kids
Draw a picture or write a story about your dream zapp world. The best will win a free book!
Fantastic new teacher resources available here: http://barrelbooks.com/teachers.html
For Media
For more information, or to arrange an interview with DC Green, please email Sue Kalenderidis at Barrel Books and Bookings at sue.barrelbooks@gmail.com or phone (02) 44540985.
Cover art and DC Green photos can be downloaded at the Media Section at www.barrelbooks.com
Many of you know we started this adventure in 2005, in one year we had over 750,000 visitors come see the eComic known as WANTED:HERO, and readers around the globe. It was wonderful. It was a dream come true for myself…something I have always wanted to do: entertain others, especially children with fun, clean adventures. The progress was wonderful, with over 15,000 regular members posting on our message board each week, when I lost the use of my hands…again
The result?Roll with what you have–and over the past few years, I developed a passion for writing almost equal to my passion for drawing (currently writing dozens of articles weekly for work). This, accompanied with the encouragement from my wife and children to keep going–to see this adventure with Wendell to its end–has me focused once more.
So here’s what I propose to do:
As the book are written, I will be posting the raw material online, here on this site for all to read, review and hopefully make suggestions. Once all the chapters are here, in their raw forms, the final books (including their respective art) will be made and placed in both eBook form and printed form for all to enjoy.
I hope that those who have loved the eComics, the printed novels and have been with me from the beginning will give their input through the development of these books.
There are many talented, intelligent people out there who have great points of view. I look forward to hearing from you and learning from you as this progresses.
In a move that has stunned the publishing industry, children’s author DC Green is giving away free downloads of his best-selling book, ‘Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine’. ‘People say I’m crazy – and maybe I am,’ says Green, an award-winning author and surf journalist. ‘Yet I believe in giving things back. If these free books can help spread laughter and the joy of reading, I’ll be one happy writer.’ The free e-book downloads are available through DC Green’s website or through barrelbooks.com, his publisher’s site. Says Barrel Books publisher Sally Collins, ‘We hope this free offer will be taken up by thousands of readers. People can download and be laughing at the first chapter in 60 seconds. We’re happy for anyone to download this great story or also give it away for free. Schools will be able to download free e-books for every student then download our free teacher notes and student activities written by author and teacher, Matt Porter.’
About the E-Book
‘Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine’ is a funny fantasy about a boy who zapps to a world where humans, ninja horses and mutant chooks live in peaceful harmony. At least they all did … until Erasmus makes a deal with wacky King Reginald that could lead to galactic war. Published by Barrel Books two years ago, ‘Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine’ is a self-contained story suitable for children aged seven and up that has sold over 5,000 copies in Australia. The book has been critically acclaimed as ‘a brilliant debut novel’ by Bill Condon in Buzz Words and ‘an awesome read from the literary giant of surf journalism’ by ASL magazine.
Kid’s Paradise
The second Erasmus book, ‘Erasmus James, King of Kid’s Paradise’, will be available as a downloadable e-book this October. In this humorous adventure sequel, Erasmus James (or Raz for short) has become the most famous kid on Earth. He zapps to a tropical world where adults are banned, there are no rules, no bed-times and all the other kids want Raz to be their king! Raz thinks he’s found the best planet in the universe - at least he does, until he learns the dark secret that lurks beneath Kid’s Paradise… Rave advance reviews have already poured in, with Coastkids Magazine describing Kid’s Paradise as: ‘Far out, funny and fabulous! This book has the power to make anyone want to read!’
About DC Green
DC Green has won awards writing for surf magazines around the world for over 20 years, and has more recently become the author of children’s books such as ‘Stinky Squad’ and ‘Three Little Surfer Pigs.’ Green spends ten weeks every year touring schools, many in remote areas, inspiring children with his writing tips, dramatic readings and ‘world’s worst rapping’ as the author describes his unique style of dancing. Says Green, ‘In the future, I hope Barrel Books will release all my books as free downloads so that, all around the world, the young and young-at-brain can enjoy the adventures of Erasmus James.’ ‘Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine’ can be downloaded at either www.barrelbooks.com or dcgreenyarns.blogspot.com.
Jaime Buckley of WANTED:HERO also highly recommends the works of DC Green, who just happens to be the famous gnome “Green” in the international eComic hit.“DC Green is a mate and as talented as they come! All of my own children have a hand signed copy of Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine, right next to their personal copies of their own fathers books. Even my 16 year old daughter still reads it at night to her siblings who can’t read yet…but love the stories DC crafts and weaves to expand their imaginations and dreams.” -Jaime Buckley
It’s been a while since I have done a great many things in the entertainment creation genre, but all due to the great progress of our other companies, and WANTED:HERO STUDIOS, LLC was bought out by Jubilee Worldwide Inc.
This is a good thing, I assure you. Changes and more freedom, while also having the financial backing to continue projects as they present themselves. But I digress…
This following Monday, I will be taking my large family on vacation for a few weeks, to venture out into the wilderness—where my sons will no doubt scare the living crap out of every Bear, Moose and Chipmunk in a 25 mile radius. This is a long overdue break from my life at The Jubilee Project, and our new project: Jubilee Home Benefits.
The laptop, technology and even cell phones stay. Only me, family and mundane tools are allowed on the vacation bus—which means I will have time to read, rejuvenate and create the first sections of the WANTED:HERO Chronicles. The hope is to come back in a few weeks and post the first chapters online for all of you to read, comment on and give ideas to.
This is a huge deal—because now that my hands are ‘officially‘ shot to crud—the only alternative is the creation of novels. I get so many emails from all of you, and letters from readers who already own the graphic novels (which are still for sale–but not for long)…I know this is the next step to take, to make sure this story is told.
“Will there be a lot of changes?” is the most common question asked.
Yes. There will be some substantial changes, but not in the way you think. The characters remain the same, but some of the ages will change to deal with story fluidity. I will also be writing from a different perspective…and only because I was so impressed with the ‘Twilight’ series my daughter gave me.
So look for me again in the first part of September, and you’ll find the development pushing forward once more.
I just saw something which made me come back to thoughts I have had for the past several months…something very close and specific to my heart:
Individual Talent.
There have been people all my life, and are yet there today, who simply do not see the talent in me, nor do they see talent in others. These are people who always have their glasses half empty rather than full…and if it cannot make sense in their own world—there must be something wrong with it.
What a sad, sad life these people must live, and yet I hear this so often it makes my heart ache. It’s one of the primary reasons I have this website–to encourage others when they have no one to cheer them on. To tell the young and the old that if you have a love for art or creation, then pursue it. Make it a reality, make it something to stand out and make others notice. Not for the sake of getting fame or fortune, but rather to give people an experience that they will enjoy.
I hope WANTED:HERO has done something for you or those you know.
Enjoy,…and then ask you to give them another experience.
I would like you to watch this individual. It’s a tad long…but watch the film. You will be amazed at the raw, magnificent talent out there. Hopefully, it will also give you the motivation to keep going with your own projects…to have the self-confidence, the passion and the determination to do what others say you simply cannot do.
I received an email today, which I wanted to address to help others who have emailed similar questions:
“Hello Jamie,
I have a bunch of GREAT comic ideas, but sadly, I can’t really draw. I was wondering though, how did you go through the process of creating the eComics potal and advertising and eventually getting to such a high readership?
Thanks (Any tips for starting would be great !)” –Ben Galindo
Ben, those are excellent questions–but not easily answered in a simple email. However, these are subjects which come up often and continue to do so through the years…so let’s shed a bit of light on the subject.
Understand that eComics are a whole new beast. For one, it’s a new age of technology–WANTED:HERO relies on it’s story and a natural appeal to capture attention online, compared to the devices and ‘gatgets’ now offered and designed to take comic viewing to a Star Trek level of sophistication. Look around you and you’ll find eComic readers, Amazon.com has a digital reader which can download any book out of it’s million+ library in under 60 seconds for you to enjoy. Marvel and DC have eComics viewers which are simply brilliant. So, It’s a new world out there—especially online, and to capture someone’s attention—ANYone’s attention, you have to be different and stand out.
To make matters even more challenging, the readers are a whole new generation. We had the Baby Boomers, then we had the Gen X generation, and now we have the WebGen generation—a group who have never known life without the internet. Technology is simply the way they live and breathe. The downside, is that they are also ‘media-spoiled’. If it doesn’t flash, bang, blip and beep–it’s of little interest.
So where does that leave us? In the place we have always been: in a position to capture the imagination of children. If you can create a story to involve kids, while incorporating technology as the delivering and interaction tools…you have an adventure worth trying.
Now, in the case of WANTED:HERO—we never advertised Ben.
Not once.
What we did several things, however, which even today are extremely effective:
WANTED:HERO used real life people of significance as main characters.
WANTED:HERO made the story interactive–allowing kids to learn more about the characters they enjoyed reading about–through message boards, character databases, and unique off products.
WANTED:HERO talked about other people’s products which we loved and felt would be greatly enjoyed by children in turn.
However, one of the most powerful tools we had and use to this day is to give our eComics away for FREE.
Yes, I said FREE.
You need to give people the chance to see what you have to offer before they commit to purchasing something from you. It’s a lot like those little old ladies who work the Wal-Mart or Grocery Store circuit for product companies. You know the ones, who stand at the end of the isles offering you have a sausage, or a cup of fruit–to entice you to purchase their products. Why do they do it? Because you aren’t going to spend $1.38 to see if you like something. Yet, if the company invest $0.02 in giving you a taste, chances are you may spend more than that on a can of fruit—all from a taste, which you most likely took when you were hungry. Good investment, don’t you think?
Yet it’s so much easier for us, because thousands of readers out there are STARVING for good content!! This is something I’m still trying to help artists and creators understand: you are working in a digital element, so you must…and I repeat, MUST understand the long term advantages, so you don’t crush your own progress. Once you have created a product, made it digital and posted it online—how much work does it take to deliver? ZIP! How about cost? Well, if you follow my advice and purchase a server from a company like BlueHost, you have UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH–so you cost is again, ZIP!
What you have to do initially, is get past the ‘but I spent all that time creating a story—I need/want to make money from it now.’
Well, that’s fine–it’s your choice, but frankly, I paid $.97 on a few eComics, just to try them out, and when i was done reading them–they should have paid ME to read them. They were that bad. It has little if anything to do with the artwork. It was the storyline. Yuck. I’ll never do it again.
Do you see my line of thinking here, Ben?
If you don’t have a place to host, or simply can’t afford posting and using bandwidth, then I suggest you use Download.com as a resource (as a creator, you need to use ‘Upload.com‘). I used it for many of my new projects…which allow not only readers to download your comic…but Download.com is a major ‘hub’ in the FREE online universe. That means companies and other services come there, find good items in various categories, and then offer the very same product for FREE to their audience.
Hmmm, advertising for free, done by someone else? Yup. You don’t advertize…they will.
There are other facets you’ll want to consider, but there are too many to go into within this post. Know that I have been collecting questions, and I will be compiling an eBook for anyone interested, which can assist you in building traffic and readers for your projects. Just keep in mind that though you might be doing this from love or as a simple hobby—this is real work, with no shortcuts. You have to work at it, build it…and it takes time and considerable effort.
If someone, ANYone tells you there is a shortcut…they’re lying.
Is there money in eComics? The simple answer is yes. The complicated answer also happens to be yes.
I know there are going to be people out there that want to debate this issue with me–especially since I have stopped charging for my own eComics(at least for the time being) due my success withThe Jubilee Project…so I’m going to make it very simply for everyone to understand this:
Shut your mouths, shut your assumptions off, and let me take you on a walk through the concept of eComics.
You have a comic. It’s good. You know it’s good…people tell you it’s good.
Yet, no one in their right mind will give you the time of day, when it comes to publication.
Why not? It’s GOOD!?!!…..right?????
There are many reasons for the rejection…but with eComics, that simply doesn’t matter. Why is that? Because you have a way to be seen by the literal world…without leaving your home. No calls to make, no face to face rejection. Sounds good, right?
Well, it gets better.
This same creation of yours can be set up with an automatic delivery system, as well as an automatic charge system and notification system, so that when an issue sells, all you get is a notice that you have money. One more click, and in 3 days—it’s in your bank account.
Sound good? Wait, there’s more.
Let’s say you create a comic, like WANTED:HERO, and you decide it has fantastic value. With this method, you don’t have to pay a printer, you don’t have to pay any employees, you don’t have to pay for shipping, warehousing or even packaging!
You PASS THAT SAVINGS ON TO THE READERS AND OFFER THE ISSUES FOR UNDER A DOLLAR! I mean, who in their right mind, is going to argue with a single dollar? That’s less than a 16oz. soda from a vending machine!
Now here’s the beauty of eComics: Once the work is done, it’s done. It has unlimited shelf life, for the people 5 years from now, who heard about your comic over breakfast, lunch, dinner, bowling or the old woman’s Church Bingo night.
How many readers can you develop? Lets say it takes you a few years to build up readers…but you get it up to 5000 readers monthly? At one dollar per reader, per month, that’s not too bad. Especially if your numbers continue to grow over time…5K, 7K, even 10-50K…on the internet, that’s not even a drop in a bucket! Now, at the end of the year, you take the work that’s already done, and create a printed version for those not converted to eComics, but they still want your story…
That still doesn’t include the Caps, Mugs, T-Shirts, Posters and much more that you can offer your readers, should they desire it, with a cost of mere pennies to you!!
Oh, says one—But people will steal the eComic, and send it to friends and not pay for it!
Let me tell you something…it’s not called stealing…it’s called ‘advertising’!
The more they get hooked on the comic, the more they will come back and the more they will talk about it….
That’s what you want!
As this monster you have started, grows, issue by issue—-so will your readers…even if it’s only one at a time. …and when that snow ball finally starts rolling down the hill (the tipping point), there will be such a huge database of products for your readers to partake of, you’ll be laughing to the bank.
Well, to the other room, where you’ll send it to the bank via online transfer, anyway!
Many of you know we started this adventure in 2005, in one year we had over 750,000 visitors come see the eComic known as WANTED:HERO, and readers around the globe. It was wonderful. It was a dream come true for myself…something I have always wanted to do: entertain others, especially children with fun, clean adventures. The progress was wonderful, with over 15,000 regular members posting on our message board each week, when I lost the use of my hands…again
In a move that has stunned the publishing industry, children’s author DC Green is giving away free downloads of his best-selling book, ‘Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine’. ‘People say I’m crazy – and maybe I am,’ says Green, an award-winning author and surf journalist. ‘Yet I believe in giving things back. If these free books can help spread laughter and the joy of reading, I’ll be one happy writer.’ The free e-book downloads are available through DC Green’s website or through barrelbooks.com, his publisher’s site. Says Barrel Books publisher Sally Collins, ‘We hope this free offer will be taken up by thousands of readers. People can download and be laughing at the first chapter in 60 seconds. We’re happy for anyone to download this great story or also give it away for free. Schools will be able to download free e-books for every student then download our free teacher notes and student activities written by author and teacher, Matt Porter.’
DC Green has won awards writing for surf magazines around the world for over 20 years, and has more recently become the author of children’s books such as ‘Stinky Squad’ and ‘Three Little Surfer Pigs.’ Green spends ten weeks every year touring schools, many in remote areas, inspiring children with his writing tips, dramatic readings and ‘world’s worst rapping’ as the author describes his unique style of dancing. Says Green, ‘In the future, I hope Barrel Books will release all my books as free downloads so that, all around the world, the young and young-at-brain can enjoy the adventures of Erasmus James.’ ‘Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine’ can be downloaded at either 
This following Monday, I will be taking my large family on vacation for a few weeks, to venture out into the wilderness—where my sons will no doubt scare the living crap out of every Bear, Moose and Chipmunk in a 25 mile radius. This is a long overdue break from my life at 
I received an email today, which I wanted to address to help others who have emailed similar questions:
