Thankful

A Brief Note
By Alex Ness
Thanksgiving 2023

I wanted, after two years of a difficult journey, to give thanks for the people who have helped me endure, inspired me to keep creating, and to give thanks for those who might otherwise not be publicly appreciated.

I am thankful for my Family:

My wife Beth, my son Jonathan, my brother Nate, and all of my cousins, my two cats Katya and Sophia, and my grandkitten rogue terrorist cat of my son, Isabella. I also am thankful for my DNA family, in addition to Nate, and the people in my life, like my doctor who have kept me alive with their hope and kindness. Their love and kindness, and efforts to get me to seek treatment to the fullest extent when I wanted to quit, has kept me alive.

I am thankful for my four best friends:

Joe Monks, Rich Chapell, Steve Olle, and Russell Stewart. I've many other wonderful friends, but it if I began listing all, I'd never stop. These are the people in my life who lifted me when I could as easily quit. Rich was my technical advisor who explained a great deal, very very much helpful to my fight against health issues. Steve Oh Holy Olle made me smile and cry, kept me afloat emotionally. Russ is, and has been my best man since 1983. His presence alone is comfort. And Joe Monks, who passed tragically in August of 2023, is fully responsible for giving me the fighting spirit it takes to deal with diagnoses of late stage cancer, of false diagnoses, of getting my energy up when one doctor said this isn't a real problem, it is all in your head, which was also false. Although Joe was blind, he said we should visit that doctor and kick him in the gonads, and tell him the pain from our assault was all in HIS mind.

For my colleagues and comrades in arms:

My world includes different areas of creative work. I have my poetry, my comic book scripts and prose anthologies along with journalistic coverage of comics, poetry, prose, games, interviews and more, as well as work outside of normal definitions, and non creative works of organization and team building. There are many here, but I'll name those who are more associates due to shared world of interest. Along with those mentioned below, my site has benefitted from the time and products for review from many publishers. Peter Bergting, Brian Haberlin, Chris Staros from Top Shelf Productions, and many others helped me in my oft times lonely quest to cover comics, books, music and games.

So, in no order of preference...

Erik Larsen: Artist Writer of Savage Dragon, a great independent comic book. He helped me find my path when the oncologist first said I was late 3rd stage and/or early 4th stage of cancer. He chatted me, gave me hope and said the most true thing anyone said or did, you can always get a bad diagnosis, or even, you might have a miracle. (Both happened)

Michael Baron: For about 22 years Mike Baron has been a mentor, friend, grumpy old fart telling me how to make my work better, and more. He also gave me hope and advice when the news was bad, telling me, focus on the good, until you are dead you are still alive and have a chance.

Bryan JL Glass: A writer of some enormous talent, he is someone who has given me real life hope, and he gave me spiritual hope, and he spoke with me and allowed me to vent, share and discuss matters of a cosmic nature, that seemed increasingly to be revealed to me, soon. Fortunately, that did not happen... yet.

Mike Grell: Artist Writer Mike Grell was one of the most enthusiastic, helpful mentors, who did 3 pages of my first book, A LIFE OF RAVENS. He believed in me, and has called me, his pain in the ass little brother.  He periodically sent messages of hope, message of iron and resolve, and said things that I won't share, because they were spoken in our private conversation. But they made me cry, and often. When I had my second diagnoses of Late 3rd/Early 4th, he sent me a letter that said, his greatest hope was that his pain in the ass little brother would live to keep being a pain in the ass. (The name is an affectionate one, coming from the days when we'd write often and he'd give me advice and when I didn't do it immediately he'd say, hey Asshole, just do it.) I love Mike very much.

Nate Barlow: Nate is a fine documentarian, who well knows his way about film making, acting, directing, and the history of Hollywood. He has never been anything but kind and generous in his time. But he has gone out of his way to give the greatest interviews as far as depth is concerned, and is a person of infinitely kind actions. And more than once, he propped me up when I was ready to collapse mentally, and a kind inquiry here or comment there, made me appreciate him greatly.

Frank Beddor: I love Frank, we've been friends since he called me, on my cell, when only 20 people or less had my number. We chatted long and enriching, and we spoke many times. Most importantly for me as a reviewer and interviewer, I really enjoyed his works, both prose and graphic novels. When I thought I was about to die, I asked him if he'd resend his library for review, so that I could leave my readers, with my final entry, with the books I thought best exemplified fun, well crafted stories, and the creation of new imaginative works from great older roots. He then sent many things. It blew me away in so many ways. He sent me a note, Alex, I think of you daily in your struggle and can't wait to hear that you've beat the enemy, cancer. When I did find out it wasn't what two oncologists had said, he like me, celebrated the news. It made me cry how kind he was and has been for over 20 years.

Alan Dean Foster: He's been going through his own life issues, including Disney trying to hose him on royalties, and health issues. But he took the time to send me kind words, thoughts about what he learned in his own health battles, and most of all, was a friend who listened to me, at a time when I was sinking. I've been in contact with him since 1983, and he is a great writer, kind person, and oft times mentor. He has been a gem in the world of stones.

Lastly, and not at all Leastly...  I am thankful for these artists who I have not created with, nor worked with: The Swallows, J. Briozo, Dissident Creatures, and The Sleeper Pins.

No, that isn't four distinctly different bands. It is a gathering of enormously talented musicians, who have bands that express their different styles, outlooks, and grooves. I've interviewed each of them, and I have been amazed to know how deeply intelligent each is, along with their musical talents.

Brett Hanson
Jeff Crandall
Aaron Kerr
Tyson Allison
Mike Norby

More than anything, while I am moved by the minds and talent of this group of humans, I am also comforted, and intellectually inspired by them.  Each one is a different being, but somehow when they play together, they create a masterful work of beauty and power.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I am very thankful to the Rockford Veterinary Clinic for saving both of my beloved senior cats. They've allowed me to breathe again, I was in deep fear of their loss. They performed, in my eyes, amazing miracles.

Thank you readers too. I've appreciated how many write to me personally, and ask me questions about the worlds I've found myself a part of.

LASTLY

CONTACTING ME FOR REVIEWS OR OTHERWISE

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address.If you send hard copies for review I will try to always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

My Creative Blogs:

5k poem blog         AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com

Published works   AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html

Social Media:
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