Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Making Comics Real

The University of Minneapolis has a DEGREE in comics - and a lot of it is the marketing and networking that makes it possible for young comics folks to make a living, and not have to be team artists, but real creatives. 

A good friend got me together with the San Diego State University to help build the comic book and art collection in the Love Library Special Collections. I am so exceedingly proud that my name is on the entry hall, and that my collection - for fund-raising - is now valued at a quarter million dollars - and I'm getting my name on the wall of major donors to the university. We helped hook up the universities to make comics reconizeable as the art form they are. 

When Booksurge was being bought by Amazon to make Createspace for books, we small publishers and authors were called - on THEIR DIME - and asked for up to an hour what we really wanted. Which is why Createspace works as well as it does, and has direct support we can contact, and that is truly helpful and patient.

I've never worked for team companies. I never drew any of the major characters. Like so many of the wonderful young people found in Artist Alleys today, I worked to develop my own line, ideas, characters and stories. I hope I've made it possible for them to have creative freedom, and to be paid for it, even in the smallest way. 

I like to think I assisted with some of the nuts and bolts of making the form something everyone could admire. I'm still making that work with my Clallam Bay Comicon, too, where rural attitudes toward comics are slowly turning around. No longer will they believe that superheroes or Manga are the only chance they have as comics creators, or genre fan texts as authors. I couldn't do it without the assistance of other truly original comics authors, who bring their work and ideas to share and teach. You have your own voice. Come share it.

You all count, and you're all recognized. If you even have one loving fan, you have your reward. At one time, that's all I had. I never meant to share my work, but that woman laughed and wept and adored my work and persuaded me to offer my work at a sci-fi convention, and to accept publishers who liked what I offered. I've always held her title of First Fan to be among the most honorable ones in the pantheon of the people who have encouraged me. Without her, I'd still be just drawing at home, and while this is an honorable goal, too, it shouldn't be the only one.

If what I've done has helped built the structures that make things easier for today's kids, I thank all the fellow creatives and fans and one very perceptive university library I've known and who have backed me up for the opportunity.

Thank you all.

Monday, June 5, 2017

Sol Duc Hot Springs Birthday

I'm going to the Sol Duc Hot Springs on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, on August 14. It's my birthday, and I want to swim and soak and get a massage for these tired bones! I'm doing it after my birthday on Sunday, so I can get an appointment.

Come join me. Bring a swimsuit and towel, and flipflops or other swimming shoe. The pool entrance fee is very inexpensive. The pools range from mild to very hot, and the pool is a delight. But hide shiny stuff - ravens fly overhead!

They have food at the pool, including the Sol Duc Resort restaurant and a snack bar. No eating in the pool area, of course, but direct access. Gorgeous walking trails, to Sol Duc Falls. 

There's cabins and camping, too. If they don't have them, try the Last Chance Camp and Equine Rest Stop in Forks. Which means you can bring your horse. The husband is frightened of Liberals, but he likes fun. And Veronica, who runs the place, is definitely fun! 

Come join me. If you can't, I'll be doing this every year!

Friday, June 2, 2017

Old Shadow Fading But Happy

Old Shadow with Betsy the Stove

Our old Shadow cat is finally fading. He has renal failure - but of all the cat deaths we've dealt with, when this one is controlled and monitored, it is far less painful than many of the others.

Shadow keeping warm
Shadow's sister, Fearless, passed away last year, of heart failure, after a long life of thyroid problems. She was a tough little thing. 

Both of them were called the Potatoes, because when they were very little, and held in one hand, upside down, their little bellies looked like potatoes.

So we have one last Potato left. He's also the last of the Bremerton cats. 

He's happy, he's doing okay. And if we get a cat all the way to renal failure, we win. Because we all die of something, and renal failure has always come late. He was born in something like the autumn of 2001, so that's not bad, making it so far in 2017. 

I know we'll get good wishes - and huge thanks to all of you, who extend them. They are much appreciated.