6 years ago today, July 13th 2016, back when Fitz and I barely knew each other and were still trying to figure out what The Nerd Blitz was and if it would continue, we released our first side project, the original horror audio drama The Camping Trip, dropped on our Bandcamp for just $5.
It came with our very first bonus pod, an episode that is just as long as the main feature.
1 year ago both went up on our Patreon, you can get that album as well as over 110 more hours of audio.
Earlier this year, after years of talking about it, I finally expanded it and wrote a novelization of the main feature audio drama.
Adding and reworking scenes to make it a more fulfilling experience for readers and me as a writer.
For the past couple of days I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about The Camping Trip.
Just from my perspective, it’s been a curious project.
I think it’s a project that exists solely due to bold ignorance, intense passion, and an overwhelming craving to be an entertainer.
Ignorance because we were both so bold to think that we, 2 dudes who had never done anything near this size or scale, could take on such a massive project while launching a podcast.
Without ever stopping to question just who the fuck we thought we were to have the balls to do something so big takes a healthy amount of blissfully bold ignorance.
I think we both had a lot of passion, to see if we could take these big swing stories we had pulled out of the Midwest air and turn them into an audible horror movie.
And personally, I’ve always had this craving to entertain.
Not for fame mind you, because if I wanted fame you would all know my name and face, those who dig our shit wouldn’t be able to open Twitter without seeing my ugly furry mug 14 times.
No, the 3 reasons why I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer are as follows.
Let’s not bullshit ourselves, one of those reasons is obviously to make money.
Another reason is to help people, you may be trying to figure out how that one makes any goddamn sense, and I get it.
But, think about it, how many times have you been having a shit day or week and thought something like “if I can just get to Thursday, that’s when my shows are on, everything will be okay!”?
I know I still think that same thing a few times a week.
Entertainment helps us keep going, and over the years I’ve had people say the shit I’ve been a part of has helped them like that and that feels better than any of the, admittedly few, drugs I’ve tried.
The final reason I’ve always wanted to entertain people is probably the most sad, it’s because that is all I’m good at.
I’m just not smart, athletic, or capable of mechanical, structural, or any other feat of physical know how that other people use to get ahead.
I’m not easy on the eyes either.
But I can make people laugh, I can string words together in a way that makes them somewhat enjoyable for someone other than myself to read.
And The Camping Trip, that dippy little audio drama full of zombies, an 80s movie monster, frog demons, and cults, proved that with great amounts of help from a friend, that would quickly become as close as family, I could pursue that.
That’s what The Camping Trip means to me.
Neither the Audio Drama nor the novel are perfect, but both are evidence that drive and passion can lead to big things.
And who knows where this oddball little story will end up in 6 more years?
Special thanks to @ACFerrell1976 for her continued editorial assistance.
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Check out our first foray into publishing with our original short story collection, The Camping Trip And Other Stories!
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And finally, given the state of the world, do what you can to leave it a little bit better than you found it.
As difficult as that may be currently, it can have an impact far greater than you know.
Until next time, stay safe out there, gang.
