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Are you happy in your own skin? Are you completely comfortable showing the world who you are? I am. My name is Craig W. Chenery and I am a geek. There, I said it. Wedgies and screams of “nerd!” be damned. Now, had this been twenty years ago, I may have been less willing to be so public about it. I wasn’t any less of a geek back then, I just happen to have become far more comfortable in my own skin and less concerned about what people think about me. I am actually quite proud of my geekdom. I find it extremely liberating and I can be passionate about something and focus on positive things I enjoy. I love Star Wars, zombies, superheroes, robots, fantasy and monsters. I’m counting down the days until Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens and I will be there at midnight to see the first showing. I watch The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones and mourn the loss of popular characters at the water cooler the day after they have been unceremoniously killed off on-screen.

For the first time in my life, I can honestly say I like who I am. No, scratch that. I love the person I’ve become. My geekdom makes me who I am and it has defined me as a person. It makes me interesting and it has given me an almost limitless archive of topics to talk about. I am walking, talking encyclopedia of pop culture knowledge and trivia and a day seldom passes by where this trove of knowledge is not called upon. If I ever find myself without anything to say, pop culture is a great way to break the silence.

I’m not alone in my confession. Being a geek has never been so widely accepted. Chances are you know one or are indeed one yourself. It’s okay, you can admit it. Over the past decade, something wonderful has happened to pop culture and its fans. It has suddenly become cool to be yourself. It’s okay to be a fan of a film franchise, books series or T.V. show and show it to the world. It’s no longer considered childish to wear a Star Wars T-shirt in your 40’s. The social stigma of being a geek has all but vanished. If you need further proof, you only have to take a look at the number of conventions and comicons occurring across the world. In the U.S alone, there are five events with attendance of over 75,000 people. The largest of those, San Diego Comic Con, has capped at 130,000 people. 130,000 people all gathered under one roof to share their love of pop culture. New York, Salt Lake, Chicago and Phoenix are quickly catching up. If those numbers don’t impress you, 60,000 Star Wars fans recently gathered in Anaheim for the Star Wars Celebration event. 60,000 fans all comfortable sharing their love of Star Wars and not caring who noticed.

So what changed? After all, pop culture has been around for decades. Why is it now no longer considered disposable and mindless entertainment? In the 1970’s and 80’s, pop culture and in particular, how it was presented to the public, changed significantly. We didn’t just get movies, we got franchises. Star Wars wasn’t just a film, it was an entire universe of toys and accessories where children could role play and create stories far outside the established universe that George Lucas created. Television shows also had their own toy lines and accompanying movies. It wasn’t just limited to boys, this sweeping change affected everyone. Sure, we had Star Wars, Transformers, He-Man and GI Joe, but girls had My Little Pony, Care Bears, Rainbow Brite and Cabbage Patch Kids. Pop Culture followed us from the movie theater or television into our homes. We weren’t just given toys, we were presented the most amazing gift of all, imagination. We could create our own scenes that picked up where our respective television shows or movies ended. We were no longer shackled to the ideas filmmakers presented to us. We were encouraged to go out into the world and imagine our own stories. Luke Skywalker wasn’t just a farm boy from Tatooine or a pilot in the Rebellion, he was now a bodyguard to Teddy Ruxpin and fought off the giant Puppy of Doom on the remote planet of Livingroomfloorus. He had his lightsaber duel with Darth Vader two years before The Empire Strikes Back was even released. Han Solo could lift cars over his head and Chewbacca moved at the speed of light.

The imagination we were gifted as children has followed us into adulthood as we now create our own movies, books and television shows. Pop culture franchises are making billions of dollars in the worldwide box office and millions of fans tune in weekly to watch stories of zombies, superheroes and ancient warring kingdoms.

Since becoming a published author, I have immersed myself in my geekdom even further. I have also joined the 501 st Legion international Star Wars costuming club and taken my fandom to the next level. I create screen accurate costumes and visit children’s hospitals. I have become Phoenix Comicon’s ‘go to’ person for zombie panels and have been invited to present for the past fiveyears. I am now able to share my love and enthusiasm with a wide audience. My geekdom has been very good to me.

Am I comfortable in my own skin? Does Darth Vader carry a lightsaber? Are you? If not, poke your head outside, it’s a very different world out there and you may be surprised at how well you fit in.

Yours comfortably,

CWC

It’s been a month since Comicon and I’ve hit the ground running. I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who came out to one of my panels. This year was my most successful zombie panel by far with the room at capacity with 100’s of attendees.  I was humbled by the interest and interactions.  I’ve already been in discussions with Phoenix Comicon staff to return next year. It will be my sixth consecutive year presenting.

Yours humbly,

CWC

Yesterday evening at a few minutes past five, I finished the final draft of “Don’t Make Me Come Down There”.  If you’ve been following my blog or Facebook, you will know that this is a project very near and dear to me and has been in development in various forms for over six years. Although, I really didn’t hit full stride until I finished writing “Blood Splatter” and completed the promotion events and book signings.  I’d say it has been about three years in total.   It’s a very different story than the one I first started in 2010 when the story was called “Angel Askew”. 

The first draft was finished last March and I have spent the last sixteen months getting feedback and rewriting it.  The draft I have now is almost 10,000 words shorter and 43 pages lighter.  The last draft was edited with a very critical eye and I am extremely pleased with how it has pulled together.  It has far exceeded my expectations and has spurned me to continue writing.  I currently have four projects in development.  “Mephistopheles” -the second book in the Oceanview Trilogy,  “The Gate at the End of the Garden”, “The Star Wars Video Game Encyclopedia” and the screenplay adaption of “Don’t Make Me Come Down There”.  I’ve decided to work on the screenplay first while “Don’t Make Me Come Down There” is still fresh in my mind. I wrote the book with a movie in mind, so the adaptation should not be too challenging. I am undecided if I will work on  “Mephistopheles” or “The Gate at the End of the Garden” next.  I have started outlines for both. If “Don’t Make Me Come Down There” starts to generate interest, it would likely be in my best interests to start with the sequel. I have visions of turning into George R.R. Martin and having my publisher chomping at the bit for the follow up. I’m not saying my work will be as popular as Game of Thrones, but it never hurts to think big, right?

I don’t think I have ever felt more alive and bursting with creativity.  I have nothing holding me back now.  I have a mind full of ideas, a digital recorder at my bedside for midnight brain dumping, an empty notepad screaming to be filled with words and a laptop with a blank Word document open.  I am a writer. I was born to be a writer. I am doing what writers do. They write. 

The next part of the journey is both exciting and terrifying.  Writing was the easy part. The next part is where it becomes a challenge. I am under no delusion that finding a publisher or agent for “Don’t Make Me Come Down There” will be easy.   There are a thousand people like me seeking representation.  I just need to make sure my writing stands and out and I believe that it does.   I will get rejection letters. I will get notes of encouragement. I will need thick skin and a patient mind. But someone will like it and will be the right person to represent it. I have no doubt.

“Don’t Make Me Come Down There” finds me at the happiest I have been in my entire life.  I am happily married, my wife and daughter are healthy.  My friends are plentiful and supportive. I have held my current job for fifteen years. Everything is falling into place. I believe there is a reason this journey has taken so long.  I needed to get myself sorted out first.  I am not the person I was when I started this adventure and that’s a good thing. The next few months are going to be some of the most amazing of my career so far.

Yours humbly, happily and heathily (is that even a word?)

CWC

To my dearest Lily,

You won’t see this letter until you are much older, but the sentiments will remain. 

When I met your mom, I didn’t think I could love someone as much as I love her.  Until we had you.  You have made my life wonderful in ways I could never have imagined. You are kind, funny, generous, considerate and smart. You are beautiful inside and out and my heart swells with every accomplishment you make.  I couldn’t be more proud of you.

But alongside this pride, I have great shame.  I have brought you into a world I am greatly embarrassed for, and I have lied to you. The love and safety we have in our home is not a true reflection of how the world currently works. The world is beautiful as your mom and I have taught you, but it is also full of unspeakable evil.  Evil I am terrified you may encounter.  Humans are capable of great things, but we are also capable of great unjust.

Hate is now as commonplace as love. People hate because they disagree with others. They hate other people because they are of a different sexual preference. They hate because others follow religion, the wrong religion or no religion at all. They hate based on skin color or nationality.  The features and traits that make us unique and interesting make us targets. Gunmen are storming schools, workplaces and public events and we’re doing nothing about it.  Countries commit genocide and we do nothing about it.  Women are raped and our justice system blames them for being in the wrong place. War, famine, corrupt politics, the list goes on. We’ve become a black or white society.  “You’re either with me or against me”. “You are my friend or my enemy”.  “I am right and you are wrong even when I am wrong”. People used to talk. People used to listen. People used to value opposing opinions. There is a whole world of grey we avoid like the plague.

Lily, the world’s biggest failure is communication.  I teach you to use your words, to tell me what you need and want. That you will never be punished for being honest and open with me. But we as adults can’t follow our own directions. Gun crime in the US is at epidemic proportions.  But we can’t talk about it. You’re either an NRA right wing gun nut who doesn’t want a single civil right trampled on or a left wing tree hugging hippy pacifist that wants to strip away all civil liberties.  But if we searched deep inside we must know there is a middle ground that can be reached and that many of us don’t fall into either label. We can agree to disagree. We can live with different religions, races and beliefs and we can do it in peace.

Hatred isn’t genetic. We’re not born hating.  You were not born hating.  It’s conditioned and taught.  It is taught by families, friends, communities, school, politics, news, media, history and religion. But what we learn, in time we can unlearn. Lily, you have my word that I will never condition you to hate.  I will teach you to see beauty where others only see darkness and maybe you can teach others to see the same beauty.  If enough people start to see the same beauty maybe the balance can shift.  I don’t think we are past saving.

All any reasonable adult can hope for is to leave the world in a better way than they found it. Be it through being a teacher, a doctor, a scientist, an artist, an entertainer, a friend, a parent, philanthropist or any number of ways. But also through our children.  I’ve tried to be a good person. I try not to hate. I don’t rape, kill, discriminate or oppress.  I create, love, laugh and learn, but my greatest gift to the world is you. For as much as the world scares me at times, I have gifted it the most valuable thing to me. You.  My generation has failed to right the ship. I hope your generation can bring about the peace mine could not. I want you to live in a world where our words are not replaced with bullets, where you can be celebrated for being who you are. I don’t know if you will grow up straight, gay, religious, atheist, liberal, conservative, but know I will love you no matter what.  I just want you to be the best person you can be.  If the world has more people like you in it, I think it is in good hands and maybe, just maybe everything will be okay.

Love always, Daddy

*not edited for content.. Ignore spelling and grammatical errors.

Today, after thirty years of waiting, I finally had the privilege of meeting George A. Romero.  Mr. Romero created “Night of the Living Dead” back in 1968 and it changed my life from the moment I first saw it. Romero’s zombies were violent flesh eaters and the genre would forever feel his mark.  He has been a huge influence on my writing.  “Blood Splatter” would never have existed without George. “Don’t Make Me Come Down There” would not exist without George.  Today I had the immense pleasure of finally being able to meet him and thank him. 

He signed a Greek DVD cover of “Diary of the Dead” and we joked about neither one of us could translate it and that I couldn’t even play it on my DVD player. I was also able to give him a copy of “Blood Splatter”.  I am still beaming.  My zombie journey is now complete.

Yours over the moon,

CWC