Alverne Ball

Where there’ smoke…

Alverne — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 05:18:59 +0000

…there’s bound to be fire or least that’s how the saying goes. Right now there’s a small fire kindling in my neck of the woods. I’ve been busy, maybe busy isn’t the right word, hmmm….okay, I think I’ve got it. I’ve been on fire. Burning with a desire to create and write, so much so that it’s consumed me along with the fact that I’ve had a son since my last update and he’s seven months and growing.

Awwww. Yeah, yeah, don’t go getting all mushy on me.

So this burning desire has been fed by countless hours of sitting at a desk, at a TV tray, on a bus, or a train, and even on an air mattress at one point in my life writing and writing and producing novels, comics and graphic novels that the world has yet to see. Why? Because if I don’t write I’ll die. I know those are harsh words but deep down it’s the one truth I absolutely believe in.

I’ve been toiling for over three years working at writing various things in a multitude of genres for different medias with no idea if any of it would make it past my pad (Yep, I still write with a pen and pad) and into the hands of you the reader.

Today I’m proud and a bit scared to say that those ideas are on the fast track to being in your hands for your enjoyment. How? Well I teamed up with my esteemed writing partner, Aaron Lewis, a fellow Columbia College Chicago grad and we decided that between us we had enough ideas to fuel a mini-studio and so we started Arion digital media group (Ariondmg.com) a multi-media entertainment group. Through Arion readers will finally get to read the entire 8 issue historical/horror series, Virgin Wolf or the Choose-your-own-destiny graphic novel, Dime. But comics and graphic novels are just the beginning in what we hope to achieve in the arena of TV, Film, and gaming, just to name a few.

What about prose?

No, I haven’t given up my first love and I never will. I just signed my first crime novel to a new indy publisher called, The Garrote, through them readers will get to meet detective Frank Calhoun in his debut within the pages of, Only the Holy Remain. I’m currently rewriting/editing the follow up novel entitled, Blue Religion. More info on a release date and readings to come.

Now you gotta be saying, wow-oh-wow, but the fire is just heating up. I’m also currently writing a 98 page graphic novel for a publisher while simultaneously writing a tribute comic on one of film’s most influential directors/writers for another publisher.

In between all that I’m also the co-writer for One Nation, a real world episodic superhero comic from 133art.com

(check out the preview here: http://www.133art.com/133ART/onenation.html)

As you can see that burning desire has started to kindle into what I hope continues to be a huge roaring fire. There’s some other secretive projects on the horizon that I can’t wait to tell you about, some that are really going to be game changers as far as what people perceive me to write while others will be really cool projects that I hope leave you begging for more.

I was asked recently by a fellow writer how these opportunities have come my way and I always say truthfully it was a bit of luck, a lot of writing and believing in yourself even when it feels like there are those that don’t, and lastly, taking chances and putting myself out there whether that meant a cold email intro, a facebook comment, a pitch where I was turned down, or even a face-to-face interview. I’ve learned that each interaction is fuel for the fire. Use every critique as fuel. Get Mad. Not at the person critiquing you but at yourself and tell yourself that you’ll do better next time because this time it was a learning experience, but next time it’ll be a win. No matter what keep writing and stay inspired by all things around you.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the free preview book or 200 pg graphic novel on ariondmg.com

Deuche Bags

Alverne — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:33:55 +0000

A project that I adapted, coordinated, and produced for a client

You can purchase issues 1 and 2 from here

Palm

Alverne — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:20:26 +0000

2012 is my year

Alverne — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:41:36 +0000

So as always it would seem that my hands are in a few pots. I’ve decided to do a small update on just a few projects that I’m working on.

My first novel, Only the Holy Remain, has a contract on the table from a publisher. You can read an except here.

I’m currently rewriting/editing on my next novel, a follow up entitled, Blue Religion, which you can check out here.

I’m one step closer to signing Virgin Wolf to a publisher, so oh happy day when this story finally see’s the light of day.

Here’s a script that I did for my partner/director Aaron Lewis. The script is called Misty Blue. It’s a 7 page noir short with an impact! Check it out

Now as I said I’ve been working on a few projects. The first one is Dime, a neo-noir graphic novel, which I’m pitching to a few publishers now. If you haven’t seen the new cover check out it here.

My next mini-series is an action-adveture entitled, Palm, which follows the story of Paris Mulano, a young sicilian woman turned assassin after her family is murdered by a powerful American mafia boss. Here’s a look at the inked cover. Isn’t she beautiful?

Also, Zulu is back in production and I have two publishers interested in the book. Here’s a look at the cover to the second issue. Yeah, we’re gearing up to tell a very exciting story.

There’s a lot more that I wish I could share, but I hope you’ll stick around just a bit longer to see how I’m about to impact the world of entertainment. Thanks!

Misty Blue

Alverne — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:29:03 +0000

A 7 page noir screenplay

Only The Holy Remain

Alverne — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 07:00:09 +0000

Only the Holy Remain is the story of Ex-Marine chaplain turned Chicago homicide detective Frank “Preacher” Calhoun who is on medical leave when his former sergeant Father Pantone is killed. Calhoun is determined to find his mentor’s murderer even if he has to go behind his department to do it. But as his investigation uncovers a conspiracy stretching to his days in Fallujah and possibly involving his estranged, imprisoned father, the body count begins to rise. When Calhoun is accused of murder, he finds himself in a race against time to save not only his career, but his life.

Pain

Alverne — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:45:02 +0000

Pain was the name on the streets.

It was a name that carried with it enough power that the crooked Narco detectives out of the 13th precinct on Chicago Avenue didn’t even attempt to pull Pain over and rob him for what he was worth (possibly millions) because they knew he was paid up to the right people; the kind of people who could force a cop into early retirement with half the pension. Plus, it didn’t hurt that he was backed by cold-blooded killers who could go out and make whole families disappear before returning home and fucking the living daylight out of their girlfriends as if it were nothing

One Nation: Old Druid

Alverne — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:25:42 +0000

A web comic written for the forthcoming mini-series comic, “One Nation” that I also write.

The Rock thrower

Alverne — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:20:47 +0000

A graphic novel I adapted from client’s screenplay

The 14th Dalai Lama

Alverne — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:09:42 +0000

In 1935 Lhamo Dundrub was born to a peasant family in a small village. At the age of 2 he was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. At the age of 4 he was then enthroned as the spiritual and temporal ruler of Tibet, and from that day forth became known as Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama.

A graphic novel that I wrote for a publisher.