Life
Not dead, just vacationing
Sun Aug 15 2010
Been a busy summer, much going on and I’ve been working on a few other projects. I apologize for not updating but we’ll be back on track soon.
My other projects include:
My other projects include:
- A new science fiction story
- Presenting a paper at VB2010
- Preparing for a new family addition
- Lots and lots of work projects
- Enjoying summer with my daughter (who is now 3)
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Hiatus until spring 2010
Sun Nov 01 2009
With the end of Act Three, I'm going to give my drawing arm a break for a while. There's been a lot going on in my life lately, including some health issues and a major household move, so I need a little respite from drawing 12 hours a week. I can assure you, the whole story is written from start to finish. It's the illustration and coloring that is so time-consuming.
In any case, it doesn't mean that things will be totally dead here. I plan to do a few Author's posts on the writerly process of creating Heidi and flesh out some of her inspirational material.
Stay tuned.
In any case, it doesn't mean that things will be totally dead here. I plan to do a few Author's posts on the writerly process of creating Heidi and flesh out some of her inspirational material.
Stay tuned.
Post toorcamp
Mon Jul 13 2009
Gary
Sun Mar 09 2008
So much being written about Gary Gygax's death. I'd blogged a bit elsewhere, but I feel the need to write a little more. D&D was a big part of my life early on as well. I started way back in 1979 on the first edition, which I still have. I quickly progressed to the addictive job of dungeon-mastering. No doubt, those DM-skills are directly responsible for much of my writing hungers. Why do you think it's called Planet Heidi? It's an alternate world and every book, Heidi faces a deadly new dungeon.
And speaking of Heidi, here's an ironic preview from chapter 6.
Ironic because I wrote what is now called book 2 and chapter 6 a couple of years ago. Yes, Heidi will be facing off against D&D players soon. But it's release will appear to be timely. I didn't mean it that way, but it's inclusion is there because as all the news articles you're reading say, D&D and Internet geeks go hand and hand.
Still alive
Thu Dec 06 2007
Wow, long time no update. Sorry, all I can to keep the comic flowing.
So, tomorrow is my birthday. I'm uh... older. Big older. Oh well. But with the baby (she just settled down for the night as I type this) and just hitting my six month mark at my new job... it's been a time of reflection.
Last night I started reading Craig Thompson's Carnet de Voyage which I'm liking even more than Blankets. His artwork is nothing short of miraculous. So amazing that the artwork conveys the story far more than words or plot. Now that is a true comic artist. Makes me feel like a hopeless plodder. I mean, same league? Heck, I'm fantasy baseball compared to him. Yeah, I know I'm not much of artist. I am consciously trading off quality for quantity, so I can blast out the story as fast as I can. And yeah, it feels like an excuse to be a sloppy artist.
Then I of my other talents. I make very good living as a security professional. I've had some wonderful opportunities in the field, respect of enough of my peers, have fun doing it and most importantly at this stage of the game - earn enough money to support wife and child.
But when I see Craig's work... well. I think: would I trade for his talent? Last night, I thought maybe.
Then again, there's the sheer joy of writing Heidi. And the fun we're going to have with her in this adventure. All of it inspired by things that have happened in my career. Things I wouldn't give up for nothing.
Yeah. Okay. Sorry, just deal with the primitive art. I know I'll slowly get better over time. Or at least faster.
PS: August says "hi" to everyone.
Delayed
Mon Aug 06 2007
Book two delayed, baby coming earlier.
All the illustrations are done for Chapter one of book two. But our daughter decided she wanted to come about a month early. So, expect a longer wait. Please be patient, because she isn't going to be. Of course, we'll be a bit tied up for a bit.
Still alive
Tue Jul 24 2007
Yeah, I'm still alive. And I'm still drawing up the chapters for book two.
And real life is still keeping me on the run.
In the meantime, here's a little pin-up for ya.
Where have I been
Sun Jun 24 2007
Where have I been? Where's book two? What's going on?
Alright, here's the deal.
The outline for book two is done. The manuscript is 80% done. The basic character sketches are done. Some of the background art is done. And scene one is 10% illustrated. So, I'm 30 to 40 hours away from finishing the first chapter.
Y'know me, I want to make sure when I release, I do it in a way that doesn't leave you hanging. Well, no more hanging than a week between scenes. So, I prefer to have things all organized and ready to go. And I'm not anywhere near that. Especially since book two is a long, long, cliff-hanger of a story. I am committed to finishing it. Heck, the story is burning to be told.
But...
My real life has been rather busy. One, I've changed job. Two, my disabled father moved in with us until he gets settled in Seattle. And three, my wife is 10 weeks away from giving birth to our first child.
Before you ask, it's a girl and I wasn't allowed to name her Heidi.
Anyway, I'm a little busy so it might be until early fall before you see book two.
In the meantime, you can always encourage me to work faster by buying copies of book one.