December

I hope everyone is well and enjoying the holidays. The winter weather is really taking a toll on me this year. My condition causes inflammation of the blood vessels in my eyes and is very painful. As a result, I will be taking a break from the blog until I get caught up on some of my other projects. I am currently working on the finishing touches for Sharks from Mars 2: The Battle for Earth and Sharks from Mars 3: Return to Mars.

November

Authors/Publishers:

Cover Wars: Authors, Enter Your Book in Cover Wars for Free Book Promotion. Details. Follow Author Shout on Twitter

NaNoWriMo: How to Get the Most from National Novel Writing Month. Read.

Indie Magazines: Shortlists 2018 Stack Magazine Awards Nov 19 -Indie Mag Details Follow Stack Magazines on Twitter
 
Comic Books:

Everything You Need to Know About Self-Publishing Comics. Read Article.

Filmmakers:

Call for Entries: 19th Annual FirstGlance Film Festival Los Angeles. Submit Film. Follow FirstGlance on Twitter.

Papaya Rocks Film Festival: Submit Your Micro-Shorts (2min) or Short Films (15min) to London's Newest Independent Film Festival at the Family-Owned Genesis Cinema. Deadline Nov 30th. Submit Film Here. Follow Papaya Films on Twitter.

Production Grant: Are you making a short film, feature film, documentary or web series? ScreenCraft Film Fund is Seeking Their Next Project to Finance with a Grant up to $30,000. Accepting Applications Worldwide in English Language. Final Deadline Dec 1st. Apply Here. Follow ScreenCraft on Twitter.

Games:

ClemmyGames: The Best Of Indie Games. Watch Now. Follow on Twitter

10 Simple Steps for Bringing Your Game Idea to Reality. Read Article.

Music:

BBC Music Introducing LIVE 18 November 8-10. Hundreds of inspiring masterclasses & interactive sessions. Live performances. Read Details.

Top 5 iTunes Rock Bands Scheduled for Indie Week Showcase in Toronto. Read Article from Indie Pulse Music Magazine Here. Read Indie Pulse Music Magazine for News, Reviews and Interviews Supporting the Indie Music Scene and the Music Underground. Check out Indie Pulse Music Magazine. Follow on Twitter

The Metal Report Reviews: Witchingseason Video for New Single ‘Afraid of the Dark’ by Lyndsey Perrott. Read Review

October

Authors:

Pricing: Are You Making Money From Your Words? Pricing for Print and Ebooks by Just Publishing Advice. Read article.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Independent Publisher's six book award contests: the IPPYs, the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards, the Illumination Book Awards, the Axiom Business Book Awards, the Living Now Awards and the eLit Awards. Details for contests. Follow Independent Publisher Magazine on Twitter

Cartoonists:

  
Comic Strip Cartoonist Magazine #8
 

Order Publication

Follow on Twitter

Filmmakers:

CALL FOR ENTRIES: FirstGlance Film Fest Los Angeles. Celebrating Filmmakers for 21 Years! Details of film festival. Follow FirstGlance on Twitter

Top 40 Independent Film Blogs, News Websites & Newsletters in 2018. Read here.

Game Developers:

Indie Video Games is now on Patreon! Starting at $1/month, you can get lots of marketing help from us!  More info. Follow Indie Video Games on Twitter 

Music:

Interview: Robert Glendinning from Bad Touch is Interviewed in the New Issue of Guitar Techniques. Order Magazine Here. New Album 'Shake A Leg' out October 5th. Follow Bad Touch on Twitter.

BBC Introducing: Check Out This Playlist Made Up of Some of BBC Introducing's Success Stories. Read Here. Follow on Twitter.

Dirty Rats are a Melbourne Based Four Piece Old School Hard Rock Band. Listen to music.  Follow on Twitter

September

Authors/Writers:

Indie Author Day 2018

Get ready for the third annual Indie Author Day on Saturday, October 13, 2018. Communities around the world welcome local indie authors. Free registration to participate in events. More info.

Indie Magazines

Submit your magazine! Entries now open for 2018's Stack Awards. 10 Different Categories All Dedicated Entirely to Independent Magazines- Details.
Follow Stack Magazines on Twitter

Conference for Independent Magazines. Indiecon Preview: What to Expect at This Year’s Event- Read

100 Years of British Independent Magazines- Listen to Podcast

Comics:

From Danger Comics:
Anomalies

Check out Danger Comics

Follow Danger Comics on Twitter

Filmmakers:

Amazon in Running to Acquire Landmark Movie Chain- Business Insider

Silent Eye is a British Science Fiction Anthology Television Series Created by Renowned Indie Filmmaker Simon Horrocks. Season:1

Follow Simon Horrocks on Twitter

Games:

Nintendo Just Revealed a Ton of Indie Games Heading to Switch- Read Article

Music:

Under a Banner: New Release
Listen/Buy Riot EP. Digital download and CD available.

Follow Under a Banner on Twitter 

August

Authors: 
Amazon Book Review Policies are Killing Self-Publishers. Read Now

Beta Reading Etiquette for Self-Publishing Authors -by Hailey Hudson. Read Here

Comics:

Review: It Came Out on a Wednesday #1
 
Follow Alterna Comics on Twitter

Filmmakers:
Allison Volk Breaks Through with Witty Dark Romantic Comedy-Read Article

Apply to Directing Lab by August 13, an intensive eight-week program for directors who are prepping their independent feature films. Receive script feedback, discuss your vision & select short scenes from your screenplay to workshop. Details

Listen to the Dave Bullis Podcast: Episode 193 – Entering Screenwriting Competitions with Kristin Overn.

Watch

Big Bad Bugs is a sci-fi comedy creature feature in the tradition of Tremors and the 50's b-movies. Read Review

Watch Big Bad Bugs

Games: 
Indie Games: The Weblog
Best Indie Games on Steam

Music:

 
Bad Touch has signed a worldwide album deal with Marshall Records. Their new album "Shake A Leg" will be released on Oct 5th. They hit the road in Oct & Nov with guests Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics & Daxx & Roxane. Tickets on sales at Planet Rock.

Follow Bad Touch on Twitter

Tequila Mockingbyrd

Interview with Tequila Mockingbyrd by Adam Kennedy. Read Here

Follow Tequila Mockingbyrd on Twitter

July

Authors/Publishers:

50 Top Indie Author Podcasts for 2018. Listen now. 

Money Should Flow to the Author by John Doppler  Read here.

Independent Magazines

Some of Stack Magazines' Favorite Independent Magazines that Use Illustration Creatively. Read About 12 Different Indie Mags.  

Follow Stack Magazines on Twitter. Stack Magazines is a subscription service that delivers a different independent magazine to your door every month.

Comic Strip:

Sunny Side Up: A Webcomic by James Robert Boyd and Saad Azim

Check Out Boyd Comics

Follow Sunny on Twitter

Filmmakers: 

Breakout Shorts: Are you an indie filmmaker? Do you have a short film or documentary? We even accept short screenplays! The competition can’t be missed with $1,750 in cash prizes! Submit now.

Listen to the Dave Bullis Podcast: Episode 193 – Entering Screenwriting Competitions with Kristin Overn.

Listen to the Indie Film Hustle Podcast

Game Development:

10 Animation and Game Design Podcasts Click for info.

Music:

Pre-order Full Nelson and you get 3 tracks instantly. Order here.

Little Indie's Top 10 Must Sees at Bushstock Festival

Camden Rocks Kicks Arse by Simon Reed
Read Here

Pitchfork Music Festival July 20-22, 2018: The internationally recognized Pitchfork Music Festival presents 40+ bands over the course of three days each summer in Chicago's Union Park. The festival highlights the best in new and emerging music. Since 2006, this independently run festival has consistently proven to be one of the most welcoming, comfortable, reasonably priced, and rewarding weekends of music around. Read for more info and tickets.

June

Authors:

Book Reviewers Program: The Book Reviewers Program delivers free eBooks to book reviewers in exchange for honest reviews published on the reviewer’s book blog. Visit the link for more details.
Follow Book Reviewers Program on Twitter

Indie Voices: Check out self-publishing advice from the Alliance of Independent Authors. Listen the AskALLi IndieVoices broadcast.
Follow on Twitter 

Indie Writers Review

Indie Writers Review: A monthly e-magazine showcasing the best of the indie writer scene.
Follow on Twitter for more info.

Comics:
Denver Independent Comics &Arts Expo. Looking Back at Year Three. Read Here. 
Indie Comics Podcasts. Click to Listen.
This Week in Indie Comics. Read.

Filmmakers:

Kaleidoscope Man
After nearly 6 years in production director Simon Cox and his team are only weeks away from completion of their epic sci-fi movie Kaleidoscope Man. Summary: As telescopes point skywards, the people of Earth finally learn that they are not alone in the universe. The star is a gigantic spaceship. Read more.

Follow Director Simon Cox on Twitter

PR
Meet the Angel of Film PR. Read Interview with Film Sprites PR Founder Here

Festivals
London Short Film Festival Submissions
NYC Web Fest Submit Here
Vancouver Web Fest Winners
 
Game Development:

SHARE THE GAME OF THE DAY! GET +200 POINTS! 

The best place to share and market the video game you made. Share other games to earn points. Tons of FREE marketing options. Click for more info.

Follow Indie Video Games on Twitter

 

Music:

BBC Introducing: Are you sitting on an awesome track you've made? Upload it to BBC Introducing and you might hear it played on the radio. Upload Here.

Indie Rock Cafe:  Indie Rock Cafe is committed to highlighting the best popular, relatively unknown, unsigned and indie record label artists and bands to share with thousands of people worldwide. Listen here.

May

Authors/Writers:

New Generation of Food Magazines: Indie Publishers with a Shoestring Budget- Read New York Times Article.

Listen to the podcast that speaks to magazine makers every week.

Learn self-publishing tips on  Lulu University. Watch now. Follow Lulu on Twitter.

View all finalists in the 2017 Foreword Reviews Indies Book of the Year Awards. Winners will be announced June 15. Follow on Twitter.

Indie Bookfest celebrates indie, hybrid and traditional authors and artists and their freedom of expression. Join some of your favorite authors for a convention filled with workshops, panels, parties and more! You won’t want to miss the sessions throughout the day, where several panelists will be speaking on a variety of topics relevant to readers, book lovers and writers. Orlando, Florida. August 9th-12th 2018. More info.

Comics:

June and July Releases from Alterna Comics

Click here for more info on upcoming publications.

Follow Alterna Comics on Twitter

Filmmakers:

Last Stand to Nowhere is a short film re-imagining of the Gunfight at the OK Corral with an all-female cast. Filming starts first week of May. Follow the project on Twitter.

Podcast. Imagine a free film school where each week you have a different teacher. Listen to the Dave Bullis podcast. Follow Dave on Twitter. 

Call for Entries

Regular Deadline- June 21, 2018

Late Deadline- July 21 2018

FINAL DEADLINE – AUGUST 1, 2018

More info

Follow on Twitter

9th Annual Indie Series Awards: Complete list of winners

Follow Indie Series Awards on Twitter

Games:

Indie Game Alliance: A guild of 800+ indie tabletop publishers. Offers a global demo team, member discounts, convention presence & much more. Join the Indie Game Alliance.
Follow the Indie Game Alliance on Twitter.

 Fire Tower by Runaway Parade on Kickstarter

 MOONSHOT - The Spaceship Racing and Wagering Tabletop Game on Kickstarter 

 The Pirate's Flag - A Capture the Flag Board Game by CardLords id crowdfunding on Kickstarter 

Find other  tabletop games promoted by Indie Game Alliance

Music:
Indie Music Bus: Have bloggers write about your music or events. More info.

Paul Miro is taking pre-orders for Sinombré vol 2 now. All pre-orders will receive a free full-color lyric book pdf. Order exclusives, while they last. Campaign is open until July 2nd 2018.  Pledge now.

Check out video All Hope Is Gone.
Follow Paul on Twitter.

Tequila Mockingbird video I Smell Rock 'n Roll .
Follow tequila Mockingbird on Twitter

Watch new Carlos Wilde video When Your Sun Sleeps
Read interview with musician
Follow Carlos on Twitter

April

Authors:
Two indie platforms are partnering to help authors produce audiobooks at affordable prices Read Here. -By Shannon Liao 

The Martian: How a Self-Published Author Went from 99¢ ebook to Movie Blockbuster Read Here. -By Scott Lorenz. Follow Scott on Twitter.

Events

Here's an invitation for all indie authors to attend ALLi's free 24-hour Selfpublishing Advice Conference on 14 April. Check it out. Follow Alliance of Independent Authors on Twitter

IAN Book of the Year Awards
First place fiction & first place nonfiction win $1,500. More info about contest.Check out 2017 Award Winners. Follow IAN on Twitter.

Book Expo of America (BEA) Book Fair
May 30-June 1. Read for details.

London Book Fair
April 10-12. Details here.

The Talkbooks Author Event
April 14, Burlington, Ma. More info.

Upcoming Indie Publishing/Self-publishing Conferences and Workshops 2018
Click for List

Comics:

Siren's Calling: Enter a film noir world of fedora-flaunting filmmakers & dames to die for. It’s 1947, and a mythic siren has Hollywood ambitions far beyond devouring her leading man. Sultry siren Lorie Lye yearns to give up her man-eating ways and become an actress. By John Trigonis and Lauren Clemente. DM John Trigonis for copies of 1st & 2nd issues.

Crowdfunding:
 

Join me in backing the band Under A Banner and their new Riot EP project

Pledge Now

Follow on Twitter

Filmmakers: 

 FirstGlance Short Online Contest

WATCH and vote for amazing shorts as part of the First Glance Online Short Film Contest hosted by It's a Short and FirstGlance2018. It's free. Vote everyday.

Follow on Twitter 

@itsashort

@FirstGlanceFilm

 FirstGlance 
 Film Festival Philadelphia

Call for entries. Submit scifi, horror, fantasy and comedy. Licensing deals offered to science fiction, short films and webseries. Submit your film.

Follow on Twitter 

                    

LowDown Film Festival

Got a short film or short films? Want to put it up for the UK's newest, most unique film festival for FREE? 150 submissions so far! Submission info.

Follow on Twitter

‏ 

Space and Time Film Festival

Does your indie film or screenplay relate to the theme of space and/or time? Filmmakers: Submit today!

Follow on Twitter

Game Development:

Google Play Indie Games Contest- The second Google Play Indie Games Contest in Europe. 20 finalists came from 12 countries to showcase their games. Check out winners and finalists.

Market Indie Games

@IndieVideoGames is now on Patreon! Market your game for as little as $1 a month. More info.

Wild Mage

Wild Mage - Phantom Twilight is a multiplayer, open-world action RPG made for small team based adventures, featuring airships, floating islands, dungeons, and next-gen combat. Monsters can be dynamically sliced into pieces. Terrain and structures can be altered or destroyed. Abilities and spells can be acquired from monsters and lore books. A game that reimagines the genre. Watch for Kickstarter campaign May 1st, 2018. Game details.

Follow Luna Orion on Twitter

Follow Wild Mage on Twitter

Music:
 
AIM- Association of Independent Music. Supporting the UK's independent music companies. AIM is a trade body established in 1999 to provide a collective voice for the UK’s indie music industry. AIM represents over 800 member companies, from the largest and most respected labels in the world, to small start-ups and individual artists releasing their own music for the first time. Click here for more info.

Indie Music Podcasts Discover new music.

Indie Grits announces an ambitiously expanded music lineup for April 2018 festival. Read here.
Follow on Twitter.

March

Authors:

Indie Author Day
On this one day, libraries around the world welcome their local indie authors in for a day of education, networking, mingling, writing, open mics, panels and much more! While programs are supported by key Indie Author Day sponsors, all of which are leaders in the publishing industry, each library’s event has a distinctly local flair. Register Now for Indie Author Event on October 13, 2018.

The 2018 Pittsburgh Writing Workshop: March 24
This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Click Here For More Info.
 
Cartoonists:

THE MAGAZINE FOR TODAY'S COMIC STRIP ARTISTS AND FANS ALIKE!

A new publication for the comic arts. Comic Strip Cartoonist available in print and PDF.     

Follow Comic Strip Cartoonist on Twitter
  
Films and Festivals:

  
NEW! 

Watch and vote for amazing shorts as part of the FirstGlance2018 Online Short Film Contest hosted by It's a Short. It's free. Vote everyday.

Follow on Twitter 

@itsashort

@FirstGlanceFilm

 

NOW accepting film submissions for #OtherWorlds2018 through @FilmFreeway. Submissions are open to features, shorts & fan films in both the sciFi & horror genre. The early bird deadline for film submissions is March 31st. More info.

Website

Follow on Twitter 

Cupids

Two cupids must team up to face one of the greatest challenges of modern times: Getting two strangers to talk to each other! Short film. Comedy.

Watch Cupids

Follow on Twitter
 

FirstGlance
Film Festival Los Angeles 

40 amazing indie films screening over one weekend! FirstGlance Film Festival, Los Angeles. March 8-11. Check out all the nominated films you can see at FirstGlance. 

Follow on Twitter 

FirstGlance  

 Film Festival Philadelphia

Call for entries opens March 21. Submit scifi, horror, fantasy and comedy. Licensing deals offered to science fiction, short films and webseries. Submit your film.
   
Follow on Twitter 

Game Developers:

Independent Games Summit- Hear from the best and brightest indie game creators in the Independent Games Summit, Monday and Tuesday March 19-20, 2018. Attend lectures, postmortems representing diverse voices, experiences and perspectives, including many former and current Independent Games Festival finalists and winners. More info.

Moonshoot

Moonshoot is the fun and educational astronomy game developed by Snare Studios.

For More Info Follow on Twitter

Prism Wars

Prism Wars is a collection of quick, fun, classically-inspired arcade games that you can play alone or against anyone in the world.

Visit Website
 

Musicians: 

Help the band make new music and earn rewards. Lots of cool perks to choose from when you back this project. Pledge now to support new music by Under A Banner.

Watch Light Breaks Through from the Riot EP

Follow on Twitter