Being the sole creator on your own book, as well as the publisher, is a lot of work creatively. But add the marketing, advertising and general business to it, and your schedule almost becomes more than you can manage. It has been the one constant problem since I started this book. Where to find the time to do everything?

Conventions are among the many "everythings" I have been horrible with. I've been lucky to have a con buddy in Todd Goodman of Old World Comics. He has been extra helpful and generous by giving me a section of his table for the past two Huntington Tri-Cons. But past that, my narrow-mindedness to getting my book finished has put the selling of it in jeopardy because, although I planned a con tour, my follow through has been awful.

Didn't attend the Lexington Comic Con this year because it was knee deep in me finishing a part of my story. I was able to attend Tri-Con. However, I didn't have the forethought to find a place to be on "Free Comic Book Day." Wanted to go to Louisville's Derby Con, but it was the same weekend as a planned vacation my family had. During of which, I planned to go to HEROESCON. That I didn't make, because I had to replace my car's set of tires, which took the steam out of my "play money" for the con.

Only opportunity in July is S.P.A.C.E. (Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo) which Todd has invited me for a place at his table. But looking at the list of books there, my little masked book may not look so inviting to that "sophisticated" crowd. I don't know yet if I will go.

So that has left me pondering. Can I produce this book and attend conventions at the same time? Is that what is really holding me back on making these conventions a priority. Should I wait till it's all over? It's a holdover of me choosing to serialize my graphic novel. Every time I consider a convention, the first thing I think of is, I have nothing to sell, or an incomplete story. Then the other part is, who am I to sell a comic? With so much out there, I am such a small dustmite amongst so much talent.

Yeah, I know. I think too much. But such is the mind of the sole creator. You exist in your own vacuum for the production of your book. Then you venture out to see if anyone might like to see the finished work of your labor. Not really intimidated by opinion, someone will either like it or they won't. Not the reason I'm doing it. But the feeling like I'm only showing one or two things of a much bigger part, leaves me uncertain of my future conventions.

Much more to consider as the weeks go by...

I've been working on and off on my story for close to 20 years. As such, there have been tweaks to the story here and there. The main part hasn't changed, but "B" stories or thinking behind certain other parts definitely has. Tooled to refit maybe changes in my personality as I age, or storytelling that I've abandoned for different tones.

But perhaps the biggest changes has been how I planned to present the story.

At its inception, it was a straight-forward action book with a family dynamic. I had planned out a years worth of story for 12 issues. It was heavily influenced by the idea of single stories that contained "B" stories that would build as the 12 issues went on.

Then I modulated it into a bi-monthly at a bigger size that would be more story focused and less on a continuity.

It was until the mid-2000s that I decided to do a graphic novel. As my work schedule got more hectic and trying, I wanted to figure out a way to produce my book realistically. So it was going to be an introductory novel with a beginning, middle and end in case that was all I would be able to produce. I kept this particular plan to the completion of the first part of the story in September 2014.

The sheer weight of the story though, became a bit much for my self -employed self to put together. So I decided to serialize it.

It was a hard decision that even now I have a time with.

It's primary effect was supposed to be more spontaneous chapters. But the fear that it's starting to feel disjointed is there. I'm not creating this in harmony as the books get finished. I have to break to refocus on what pays the bills. So it can be a month or so before I can get back on the horse again. And then, there's that moment of inferiority. Can I do at least as well as the previous issue, etc?

And then there's the conventions. The graphic novel was going to be a complete story. I didn't have to fear that someone might purchase parts of the story and not be able to get the continuing parts for one reason or another. But now I do. And while I've only sold at a couple of shows, there's a part of me that kind of holds back because I'm not selling the whole thing.

Now that I'm actively producing the book, and I have a few readers following it, it's interesting how my decisions aren't just about me now. It's about my story and how it's being interpreted. Adds a whole new layer to everything and believe it or not is pretty calming. It keeps my changing in mid stream tendencies to the side.

But not too much.