Tag Archives: john churchmouse

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Make way for the factotum

Today is one of those exceptionally frequent days when Largo al factotum is my theme song: errands, business correspondence & coordination, queries, writing assistance, cleaning work, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. (May I present His Majesty, The King of Siam.) These sorts of days are especially frequent while at Principia; the Principia multi-departmental pull will recommence in a month or so.

Several checkpoints have been passed:

  1. John Churchmouse has come ’round the circle of fifths — the text is complete (as of the 10th); rough drafts have begun.
  2. Meeting this Monday to determine details about launching Terry Treble Music Adventures
  3. Largo al factotum! After trimming & cutting, a third draft of The Antiquary is ready for what may be the last read-through. (By the way, there is a barber who is somewhat a factotum in The Antiquary; his name is Caxon, not Figaro.)
  4. Ordered test samples of a new note card, “Tulip Trio.” (I considered calling it “Threelips,” but that is neither melodious nor attractive.)

Tulip Trio

In other thrilling news, my Rise of the Guardians art book arrived today! Magnificent work — an inspiration to any storybuilder.

And now, to draw my post to a rousing close–

<< Insert Rossini’s favorite coda >>

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Swimming in Summer Projects

It’s not until I talk to people about my projects that I realize how ambitious some of them are. For instance, the other day I tried to summarize — you see here that the key word is “tried,” which in this case really means to explain every element and how each came about — the poetical form I had developed. After about a quarter-hour, dear Gretchen told me it sounded like a perfect project for earning an MFA. (That was about a month ago.) There is some small irony that I have required myself to develop a thoroughly complicated poetical form about a thoroughly simple musical mouse.

Thus it multiplies my joy to have completed (on Wednesday) a very solid, nearly final draft of the poem — only a little editing required. Hallelujah!

JCred

(Click to make mouse materialize on megascreen.)

 In other news, I designed a shell “Just Married” sign for two friends; wedding, Terry Treble books 1 & 2 are approaching launch, The Antiquary is much shorter (by 90 pages, but could still use a trim after I actualize some arias), and watercolors are under way.

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Spring Breakthrough

It’s been a bit since I last updated, but my internship & research work at school school have kept me well occupied. And I still manage to dedicate morsels time to reading and story-building.

Racing Pajamas “sails” trickle in every few weeks. The next step is to get it online. I still haven’t got the e-shopping trolley to work on this site, but, granted, I have given it minimal attention.

Spring break, though short, has provided a refreshing opportunity to focus on my own projects instead of internship & research employment. It’s not exactly a break since I am still working, but it is a welcome opportunity.

Project Progress:

  • Largely finished illustrations for the 2nd Terry Treble book (and very glad to have that big step done!)
  • Only two chapters of The Antiquary to go to read & summarize! (My My opera project — it would be fantastic and astounding to have the whole ensemble complete for a 2016 performance — 200 years after the book was published.)
  • Completed a revised draft of the otter story (more to review)
  • Generating ideas for revising my Nano-novel
  • Meager revisions begun on John Churchmouse (I hesitate to call it my next children’s book because I really do not know which of my many children’s stories will come to full bloom first)
  • Submitted RP to a children’s book contest
  • Between last night & this morning, completed a solid (nearly perfect) draft of an article

Sir Cumference wishes you a smashing Pi Day!

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A Mind for Mammals

Lately, my projects have focused on animals, particularly small mammals. I am pursuing pet portraits (my cats) — one drawing is nearly done — and designing an otter greeting card to be painted in “wottercolor”. While strolling around the pond this morning, I discovered a mink and its den, so mink art might be in order. Stories about otters, a church mouse, and possibly a mink are also in the works — conceptualization, really.