Vicious Whispers with Mark Tullius

This week was spent searching for podcast collaborators and authors to do newsletter swaps with. I've spent too much time on my own and realize the importance of connecting with others.  Although I've been struggling with the creative side of things, I've made good progress with the short story Try Not to Die: Back at Grandma's House which is the storyline for the first TNTD board game expansion pack. Another positive from the week was 5 days in a row of workouts. Also feels good knowing we're going to start adding more yoga into the mix. Next week I will finally begin recording the TBI or CTE audiobook and should start sharing chapters next Friday. The response to the two giveaways I am running has been awesome. Over 2,000 people requested a copy of Try Not to Die: in the Wizard's Tower and there have been over 2,600 entries in the TNTD horror giveaway. There are still three more days to enter. I talk a bit about when to expect the next book in the TNTD series, and why I'm a big fan of the Oculus virtual reality game Ragnarok. (11:45) Beyond Brightside chapters 29, 30, and 31. Narrated by Darren Eliker.

I talk about the Try Not to Die Horror Giveaway that includes 8 different prizes. US residents 18 and over can enter at no cost. Click here for the giveaway. The TBI paperback is finally out on Amazon. You can find it here. This week I've been working on being content with taking things at a slower pace to appreciate my family more. Why I almost quit guitar lessons and how it was a reminder to do those things that are good for me. (5:50) Beyond Brightside Chapters 27 and 28 narrated by Darren Eliker.

It's been a very stressful but productive week. One day I was overwhelmed by the stress and heading down a bad path when I changed my perspective by going outside and doing yoga in the cold rain. One of the stressors this week was having to look at year end expenses. It can be frustrating to see how much money I put into my career and to still not see a profit. I know there are other authors in my shoes, but it's not easy putting in countless hours and never be financially compensated for it. I'm confident that will change though and I'm taking steps to ensure it does. A great stress reducer was planning ahead for 2022. I'm limiting my focus to Try Not to Die and am commiting only to creating the board game, putting out one short story, and books 5 and 6.  I'm excited that this week I will be releasing the Try Not to Die boxset of books 1-3 and A Dark and Disturbing Collection boxset of Twisted Reunion, Untold, Mayhem, and 25 Perfect Days: Plus 5 More. I will also be launching the TBI or CTE paperback on Amazon And my source of family fun this week was the Oculus Santa brought us. The whole family is using it, each of us drawn to a different game. I'm currently becoming addicted to the archery game Death Unchained. (10:20) Beyond Brightside Chapters 25 and 26 narrated by Darren Eliker.

Holidays have never been my favorite time of the year and the last two years have only made that worse. It can be difficult dealing with holiday stress so I encourage you to find ways to deal with it. The first Try Not to Die board game board meeting was a semi-sucess with only one board member getting fired. I address the two NPR CTE articles that came out this week which talked about CTE concerns among those who didn't play professional sports, and the doctors and companies who prey on these vulenerable people seeking relief from their symptoms. Instead of playing Beyond Brightside Chapters 25 and 26 I'm playing two short Christmas stories. (12:50) "Surviving the Holidays" from Twisted Reunion and narrated by Tee Quillin. (24:00) "Dead to Me" from Untold Mayhem and narrated by CS

The new Try Not to Die: In the Wizard's Tower is now out on Kindle and paperback. This weekend I'll be signing books at Season's Screamings with other members of the Horror Writers Association. (4:00) On Monday I received my first session of SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Therapy. It's too early to say if it will help with my plantar fascitis or knee but I think it's worth a shot. (6:00) I had been getting close to shutting everything down for a bit, including social media and the podcast. All the brain damage talks and problems on the publishing side of things had me stressed out, but some friends helped me put things in a more positive perspective. (9:20) I had a great appointment with a leading sports neurologist who I'll be consulting for the follow-up book to TBI or CTE. He loved my take on rehabbing the brain and reassured me of the brain's resiliency. I go in for another qEEG next week and will most likely begin transcranial magnetic stimulation soon. (20:50) Beyond Brightside Chapters 23 & 24 narrated by Darren Eliker.

This week was a bit of a challenge as I had to take a look at a recent brain mapping and see that there was new damage that hadn't been there two years before. This underfunctioning section of my brain is partly responsible for emotional control, compulsivity, and imagination, which are three of the reasons I wanted to get rechecked in the first place. Regardless of why my brain took a downward slide, I'm motivated to heal it as much as possible. This second round against TBI/CTE will all be material for the follow up book to TBI or CTE: What the Hell is Wrong with Me? This book will also follow at least 4 other individuals to see how they do on a similar protocol. On the fiction side of things, Try Not to Die: In the Wizard's Tower is out December 11th. Michael Sage Ricci did an amazing job bringing a fantasy novel to the TNTD world and I think fans are going to love it. My two biggest goals for 2022 are now set. One is helping ensure 10th Planet Whittier is finally launched and the other is the creation of the Try Not to Die board/card game.  (16:40) Includes Beyond Brightside Chapters 21 and 22 narrated by Darren Eliker

I had a big realization this week regarding my time at Mt. San Antonio College. I rarely give Mt. Sac credit for how much they helped me, but without that school, its football coaches, and the Academic Counselor Evans Roderick, I wouldn't have gotten into Brown University and would have continued a downward slide into self-destructiveness. I know countless people, including my wife and brother, who went to community college and are now incredibly successful. Attending a two-year college is a great option that more people should consider, and if you're in the So Cal area I highly recommend you check out Mt. Sac https://www.mtsac.edu/ I also discuss how I feel about football and what it is like handing out copies of a book about brain damage to coaches. (14:10) Also includes Beyond Brightside Chapters 19 & 20 narrated by darren Eliker

The stress of the holidays and disappointment with the latest book launch has made it apparent that I have by no means cured my brain of all damage. I still have to work on coping with TBI symptoms and continuing treatments that were making a difference. I am most definitely in a much better place than when I began researching TBIs several years ago, but it is good to be aware that I do need to keep doing the things that will benefit me. (10:45) Also includes Beyond Brightside Chapters 17 and 18