The publisher deals and partnerships only covered the licensed
properties, like Orson Scott Card’s Red Prophet: The Tales of Alvin
Maker, Raymond E. Feist’s Magician, Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita
Blake: Vampire Hunter, and a few others.
Dog Eaters was sort of like an adopted step-child. And yet, Dog
Eaters stayed with them through all the changes until Sea Lion
Books. Now I hear that Les Dabel is trying to get Dabel Brothers
back up and running.
Riding with these guys is like being on the historic wooden roller
coaster, the Coney Island Cyclone—you don’t know if you’re going
to fly off the tracks or the whole thing is going to collapse.
SP!: DOES THE DOG EATERS WEBSITE DOUBLE AS YOUR PERSONAL
BLOG/WEBSITE?
MW: The Dogeaters-manga.com website is basically the journey of
Dog Eaters and everything that tags along with it.
SP!: WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO RUN A CROWDFUNDING
CAMPAIGN? WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE PATREON OVER THE
OTHER CROWD-FUNDING SITES?
MW: I’m trying to raise money for the second printing and was
steered to Patreon by Tim Mann, who taught me the basics of aquaponics, which I am getting into now. http://dogeaters-manga.com/
index.php?s=aquaponics
Tim and his wife Susanne Friend run Friendly Aquaponics in
Honokaa, HI. Susanne is currently serving a three-month sentence—
Tim will serve his three months beginning in January 2015—for
growing two hundred marijuana plants for Roger Christie, founder
of The Hawaii Cannabis (THC) Ministry. Apparently, Roger Christie
was selling weed and calling it sacrament for ten years, before the
authorities made any arrests. Of course, now the climate for cannabis is much looser...
is “The Transmutant.” This is a story set in a near-future America
that has been Balkanized into Islamic States. A charismatic leader
is beheaded and re-animated to be used to consolidate power by
the reigning secular leader.
Another is “Flywheel.” This is a story of a billionaire tech
CEO who creates a self-sustaining, self-sufficient commuAfter posting on Patreon, I was messaged by an “inspirational” video nity in a rust-bucket city. Then shadowy third-party govmaker and I realized that Patreon is a sort of running pledge that ernment contractors conspire to take over its assets.
can go on indefinitely and can even give you a monthly income.
I’m not sure that this particular crowdfunding site is for me and I’m I’ve also written “Eden’s Serpent.” After the Radio Flash (EMP or
thinking of closing it. Maybe Kickstarter is better. I’ve funded a few electro-magnetic pulse from a nuclear bomb) destroys most of the
projects: animation, short films, and also a GoFundMe for an old world’s electronics, a gelded Tech Ninja must regain his manhood
friend with cancer who needs money for alternative treatments. and escape from the matriarchal society in Bolivia that has capYeah, I don’t think this particular one is good for my intent. But say tured him with the codes to utilize his country’s computer chips
you’re in the midst of doing a serial and you want to get paid by so that man can rise again.
the issue? That might be good.
So you see, I have pre and post-apocalyptic visions…
SP!: WHAT TITLES DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE?
SP!: WHAT EFFECT HAS ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY HAD ON THE
MW: I have several completed stories. One I’m really excited about INDUSTRY?
SELF PUBLISHER MAGAZINE 2015
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