Alliance Command

Question: When will Contra Alliance be available to purchase?

Answer: Book One – Shadows of the Past can be pre-ordered now from www.ConraAlliance.com. It ships November 3, 2009 in hardcover at which point Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com will carry it. E-book versions are planned for release in 2010.

Question: How did you think up The Contra Alliance Trilogy?

Answer: The core concepts of the story literally struck me in a vision shortly after 9/11. Out golfing with friends, a flash of clear imagination passed through my mind in about a half-second while staring up at a cloud. I wrote out that vision in five pages when I came home and built characters and story arcs to fill in its scope over the next eight years. I started with defining the realism of the universe, next came the 1800 year chronology, character profiles, story arcs, and finally Book One: Shadows of the Past.

Question: Why are you launching Contra Alliance independently?

Answer: Contra Alliance is Intellectual Property (IP). I wanted to ensure it has the best opportunity to stay authentic and within my control from the outset. I’m happy with what I’ve created and think the right person will see its potential in utter clarity after they read Book One: Shadows of the Past. The marketing worth of Contra Alliance is significant and comparable to the other well-known properties tearing it up at the box office, toy store, etc. Assuring the IP reaches the same level in multi-platform distribution (books, comics, toys, animation, movies, etc.) is my mission.

Question: What has been the hardest thing about preparing Book One: Shadows of the Past for launch?

Answer: Hands down, doing it by myself. Because of the independent track, everything is overseen by me to the smallest detail – from production to marketing. Now let me be clear, people have contributed to my efforts via contract work and they are fantastic professionals, renowned in their fields. I assembled the top artists (Drew Struzan, Joe Benitez) editors (Alice Peck, Jessica Swift) typesetter (Duane Stapp) web-designer (Marco Ciappelli) blog theme (Natalie MacLees) book cover designers (Ian Shimkoviak, Usana Shadday) and offset print company (Delta Printing Solutions) to ensure this book is showcase quality. That said, all initial and final responsibilities fall on my shoulders. I would love to move forward with an official team and studio-type infrastructure. Contra Alliance deserves that, not me.

Question: What comes next for The Contra Alliance Universe after Book One: Shadows of the Past?

Answer: Growing and developing the IP under the guidance of a seasoned publishing company or studio. I want someone who I can trust to recognize the worth and potential of Contra Alliance. It’s waiting to be discovered. As you’ll see in the final pages of Shadows of the Past, the universe is designed for expansion, merchandising, and growth. I want to take advantage of emerging e-book technologies to tell the story. Bundling artwork, audio, and even motion in future releases is a goal. I’d like to be the first to implement that type of storytelling into an e-book if possible.

Question: Has anything inspired you throughout this lengthy eight year process?

Answer: Yes, the success stories of people just like me. At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con I ran into Robert Vendetti, creator of Surrogates and originally a graphic novel turned major motion picture starring Bruce Willis. He told me about how the “call” came unexpected when his job was still packing boxes trying to make it as a writer. By far though, the most inspiring moment was when Drew Struzan told me I reminded him of George (Lucas) and Steven (Spielberg) when they were young.