Author Archives

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January Jaunt

Greetings, my dear regulars, and happy new year!

As 2015 rolls into fashion, I find my customary holiday hiatus from the web blog much extended. As my Romanian French teacher from high school used to say, “believe you me,” it is not from a lack of things to mention nor from a wish to avoid such charming people as yourselves. Rather, ’tis thanks to that familiar nag called a deadline. Not the kind that creeps up on you, stealing into your chambers and suddenly rattling your bedpost, but rather the ominous kind that looms in the distance, that billows as you realize just how much more you didn’t know you have to do.

But I, like the sunshine on a spring day, am not worried about those clouds. Everything is moving forward in preparation for Kawa-Kon. Yesterday, in fact, I did a test print for the Pandagrams card template. A few tweaks there, then it’s formatting the set & off to the printer–tally ho! Completing Cartage will require a much greater push, but it’s definitely doable.

Now that I have taken and relished the opportunity to wax mildly poetic, I must crack my own whip, return from this little jaunt, and get to work! Until next time, whenever that may be!

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Dabbling in December

Warm wishing and wishing warm to you!

Well (wishing well?), we’re a week into December, and things are moving along bit by bit, sometimes dashing, sometimes dawdling, but mostly delightful and doodling. And admiring the artistry of Christmas decorations!

Newsflash: I have been accepted to participate in the Artists’ Alley at Kawa-Kon, a St. Louis anime convention in March! This will be my first time in an Artist Alley venue. Incidentally, Kawa-Kon was the first (and only) anime convention I attended. Plans include Pandagrams and the debut of my graphic short story (remember, “graphic,” here is “visual” not “gory”), Cartage.

So let’s return to our pre-holiday dashes, dawdles, and doodles, as the case may be, and enjoy our December-y daily lives. And whether you’re out and about or cozy at home, take a closer look at your Christmas decorations. A good, long look. You just might find something admirable, new, inspiring. Then draw it from memory.

Just kidding. But do have a look.

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Pre-Thanksgiving Morsels

Instead of turkey, how would you like lamb chops and frog legs for Thanksgiving this year? Oh. Not so enthused? How about the meal menagerie before instead of for Thanksgiving? Take it or leave it–that’s what I’m serving today.

First on the menu, some lamb–a snapshot (yes, it was taken with a camera) of a scene from my latest commission, The Littlest Sheep. Our protagonist, alone, struggles against the wind and rain to climb the mountain.

LS_climb

Second menu item: frog legs. The first leg is that the autumn issue (37:3) of Frogpond (The Haiku Society of Ameria’s literary/poetry journal) arrived the other day, and page 40 is garnished with my first professionally published short poem:

H_FP37.3

(This is the one that rocked the poetry reading opening night of the haiku conference I attended this summer.) The second frog leg is that today I received an email accepting a haiku for the next issue, too.

Have a joyous and blessed Thanksgiving!

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Mid-November Mishmash

Howdy, folks! It’s hard to believe we’re already 1/3 of the way through November; I feel like October is just ending! But that’s one of the ways the phrase “time flies” works: the more to do, the less you notice the weeks whizzing by. But no frets: tThere will be another November the 9th. And the 8th. And so on.

Here’s a happy hodgepodge, a merry mishmash, if you will, of November happenings:

Pandagrams! Spreading the word and looking into printing companies.

NaNoWriMo! 1 story. 30 days. 50,000 words. Can you write it? My third year going. I’m up to speed. Interested? It’s not too late to start the marathon.

Potatoes! There are lots of them in the fridge. (Yes, that’s entirely inconsequential information, but who can resist mishmashed potatoes before Thanksgiving?)

Cartoons! I applied to participate in the artists’ alley at a local anime convention in March. Consequently, I’m striving to illustrate & print my graphic short story (akin to the graphic novel/comic book) before we’re too far into 2015; that way I can offer it (and Pandagrams) for sale there, or at another one of the anime cons coming to the St. Louis area next spring.

Tutor Blog! Check out the post I wrote for the Principia College tutor/writing blog. It debunks some myths about using passive voice in writing. http://writeherewritenowwriteon.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/passive-acceptance/

Enjoy the remaining 2/3 of November!