Justin Alcala's Blog

We want to thank everyone who entered our goodreads "A DEAD END JOB" giveaway. We had an enormous response, and are delighted that so many of you wanted to get a free copy. Stay tuned for more chances, and as always, thanks for being a weird-reader...like me!

A Dead-End Job

A Dead End Job

“Lilith, my oldest work-friend since… well, friends became a thing. Unmentionables weren’t around when dinosaurs and other eat-poop-then-die creatures were on Earth. It’s only when sentience became all the rage that God cut off her finger and gave it to me as Lilith, divine retribution for anyone bold enough to manipulate the cosmic work schedule. Since then, Lilith has, and always will be, the most dangerous weapon in existence. While I used her special holy abracadabra to transform Lilith into a scythe, she adjusts to the user’s character in order to be the best possible work tool. So if you want to be my next intern, and you’re comfortable getting my dry-cleaning, let’s first see what’s in that mushy pink wetware between your ears. It’s a sorting hat sort of thing, only with irremediable, world ending consequences.”
-Death

https://www.buzzfeed.com/parliamentbo...

ENTER FOR OUR CHANCE TO WIN:
PM your email for a chance to win Death's special vault key (complete with Hello Kitty keychain) and a signed copy of "A DEAD END JOB" released October 6th. And don't forget to preorder your copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo or whoever great books are sold.

📡You have to check out this podcast! 🎙
The @artfullytoldpodcast and I connect to talk #ghoststories , writing tips, #kidsinspiration and the latest book, “A DEAD END JOB.”

“At Artfully Told, we know that everyone has a story about how art has impacted them. We share those stories, from both artists and non-artists alike, to create community and conversation.

In this week’s episode, I welcome Justin Alcala! Justin is an author and tabletop gamer and his episode is packed with crazy, amazing stories, including about growing up in a house that was built on behalf of the South Side Mafia in Chicago with a tunnel to the house across the street. He shares about how his daughter has informed his work, along with his advice for aspiring artists.”
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/p...

The countdown begins. We are 32 DAYS away from the release of “A DEAD END JOB.” I can’t wait for you to meet Death, Buck, Idaho Face, the Charles Bronson Quartet and so many more. Parliament House Press is working on some fantastic giveaways for September, including a special contest that gives you a signed copy of the book along with Death’s Hello Kitty vault key, a “What weapon would Death’s scythe turn into if it was in your hands” game and a chance to apply with your own resume in order to become Death’s next intern. We will give out dozens of copies via Goodreads as well, so be sure to connect with us on its platform. Don’t forget to click the “Contact Author” button or send a message in order to be added to our newsletter for special giveaways and information. Until then, hang in there with your dead-end job. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Justin Alcala
You hear it all the time. Goodbye 2020. What a year. Can’t wait for 2021. We yearn to move on. We ache for a better tomorrow. And in the literary world, the uncertainty from the last twelve months drives a similar desire. 
According to Guardian journalist, Alex Clark, 2020 was a mixed year for the publishing life. While bookshops closed, literary festivals cancelled and hardback sales shrunk, digital books surged in the face of the pandemic. Lockdowns and work-from-home environments gave readers more time for books. Racism, COVID-19 and a divided nation drove authors to their keyboards, congesting the market. As a result, many established writers, such as novelist and screenwriter David Nicholls, are bowing out, focusing on other projects. 
But is stepping down the answer? Is it time for career writers to walk away in the face of a flooded environment? Unless you’re well established, even the best rising stars in the literary world will face a noisy market. Getting your voice heard and your book in front of an audience will be more difficult than ever. Should budding authors, columnists and screenwriters retire?
The answer is a simple sentence word. No. Writers run a parallel struggle with the rest of the world. Confusion, mistrust and disorientation fog the future. There are new hurdles. But one thing is for certain in these turbulent times. They will change. In the words of C.S. Lewis, “There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
The fingerprint of the literary world will never be the same. Digital books, who were already on the rise, have clinched a large part of reading retail. Bookstores and libraries will need to change the way they do business, focusing on alternative ways to sell physical copies. Top tier publishers will have to be more selective on how they sift through thousands of authors, and independent writers will need to get creative with getting books in readers’ hands. What doesn’t change though is a writer’s desire to create.
Storytellers are storytellers. Journalists need to report. Artists can’t cease the call for expression. Fresh stories, no matter what the temperature of the market, need writing. An author shouldn’t ever compromise their work because of business complications. Once the book is ready, then one can worry about market strategies, sales profits, and whether they need to find other ways to help establish income. It won’t be easy, but there’s no wisdom in trying to take the fire from a dragon. 
We may want to move on from the past. The future may be confusing. But in the literary world, one thing is for certain. Readers need books. There will always be a desire to read insightful columns, inspiring stories, and other forms of written art. Authors are going to need to think of novel ways to get their work into readers’ hands, but it can never deny the call to write. 

Sources:
The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/focus/202...

When you’re an author, you dream of signing w/ a publisher like The Parliament House. They have knowledgeable editors, an intuitive market team and a creative process for getting your book the attention it deserves. That’s why I am excited to say that my absurdist urban fantasy novel, “A Dead End Job” has been selected by this great publishing team to hit the pages between 2021-22. Stay tuned for more electrifying details about Buck, an ex-hitman interning for the Grim Reaper, soon.

Checkout my interview on WERE YOU STILL TALKING w/ Joel Albrecht. We talk nerdy, discuss the great author pantheon and ponder whether Antonio Banderas can play any part without being super McSexy.

Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/were-you-still-talking/id1460064725?ls=1


Google Play:
https://play.google.com/music/listen?...

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2rGJ0tW...

Radio Public:
https://play.radiopublic.com/were-you...

Deezer:
https://www.deezer.com/us/show/427982