[Writer Post] Return of Gelatin Brain
It’s Wednesday. It’s time for a blog post, and for this week, anyway, this is the only post that isn’t already planned/written. I have no idea what I want to talk about. My current job situation has completely sucked out my brain and left a quivering mass of gelatin behind.
This is something that all writers deal with. I’ve been here long enough now (and since it’s a temp job, I’m hopefully seeing the light at the end of the tunnel) that I’m starting to want to write again. Which means I will start writing (something other than blog posts) again–likely this weekend while my husband is hobnobbing with the SF Art world at Spectrum LIVE!
Gelatin Brain happens to us all in times of change/stress. We’ve had some other (minor but annoying) issues to deal with on top of the brain-draining temp job that have driven me to ice cream–another situation that helps maintain Gelatin Brain. It happens to all writers (all PEOPLE) and can derail a perfectly good productive streak.
These derailments can act much like either blowing a diet. If you have this grand scheme for getting writing accomplished and then encounter Gelatin Brain or other derailments, it might seem like you’re gigantic loser who’ll never write anything ever again. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!! And this is a spiral we need to kick–like the event horizon of a Black Hole. Don’t get sucked into the spiral…it happens to everyone. LIFE happens to everyone (unless you’re a robot, which would be cool in a whole other realm).
The key is getting back on the proverbial horse as soon as possible, which is what I intend to do. Even if it’s only a drabble… a sentence or two here, a paragraph there. It will start snowballing. The sentences will become paragraphs. The paragraphs will become scenes/chapters/stories until the next thing you know, the plot bunnies will have taken over. The Gelatin Brain will have solidified and started firing creative synapses again. And all will be right with the world.
[Pen/Pencil Review] The Sakura Sumo Grip II 0.5mm in Black Ink
In the same Asel Art Supply shopping trip in which I bought the Pentel Hybrid Technica, I also picked up a matching set of Sumo Grip II – gel pen and pencil – by Sakura. They’re the teal blue set in 0.5mm points. I’m focusing only on the pen this week. I’ll talk about the pencil next week. They deserve their individual numbers.
As much as I like (and maybe even love) my 0.3mm gel pens, this past week in my temp job, I’ve found myself gravitating to the Sumo Grip II retractable gel pen. The Sumo Grip II pen is 5.75 inches long both retracted and point out. It’s neither too wide nor too narrow, and there’s enough cushion in the ergonomic grip to be comfortable without being in the way. It also has an oversized pocket clip that lets you hang the pen securely to almost anything – it actually reminds me more of a clothes pin than a binder clip (as the website calls it).
There are a couple of reasons I’ve been picking this pen up at work. One, the grip is–indeed–comfortable. I’ve used it for a lot of notes throughout the day with little writer’s cramp and normal fatigue. The other big reason is that the ink really is quite smooth. Though the line is fine, the ink is dark. It’s easy to read, there are no skips, blobs, or smudges…well, none that I’ve encountered. I haven’t sat down and done the smear test, but I’ve not seen any in my endeavors thus far. Being as I bought it in an art store, I believe the website when it says the ink is acid-free, light-fast, and water/chemical resistant–suitable for any need. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good writing sample picture…
The Sumo Grip II comes in, I think, three colors–blue, orange, and black–but as far as I know only in black ink. I have found refills online, it wasn’t something I searched out in the art supply store. But I might now–because I might want to get one or two more. They only run about $2 a piece, so they’re in the same price range as the Pilots and the Pentels, which is a good thing.
Now to the numbers:
1. How does it work? – 01 This pen works well. The ink flows well and it’s comfortable. It’s a smooth line with good color with no skips or blobs.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – The pen is comfortable for long use. It’s long enough and wide enough to balance well in the hand, which is tough for retractables, they tend to be short.
3. Material – 0.5 This is an inexpensive gel pen that has the ability to be refilled. It’s a good workhorse pen.
4. Overall Design – 1 -Again, a good work horse pen. It’s solidly built, but has some interesting accents, like the blue bits and the clip.
5. Price Point – 1 – This pen is going to be found online or probably at your local art supply store –I got mine at Asel Art Supply. I’ve seen them run about $2–give or take 30¢, which being refillable makes it a pretty good economic value.
I give it a 4.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Spotlight Post] Bob the Squirrel and Frank Page
Today’s spotlight is one of my favorite daily comic strips–and it’s creator. I adore Bob the Squirrel. This is a daily strip by Frank Page that shows Page’s life as a cartoonist with snarky commentary by a talking squirrel, Bob.
Today's Bob the Squirrel - because I have nothing of my own to take pictures of. That's so wrong.
Bob is fantastic. He is, in fact, the only squirrel I actually like (probably because he’s fictional and not actively tormenting my dogs). This is actually one of the comics I reference every so often on Facebook because Frank’s commentary through his character Frank and Bob on a creative professional’s life (and the occasional pithy/deep insight on Bob’s part) hits very close to home.
The Bob the Squirrel strip has been around a lot longer than what I’ve been reading–the strip is in its 10th or 11th year, I’ve only been reading for…two? One of these days I AM going to buy the books Frank Page has available on LULU because I do, indeed, LOVE me some current Bob the Squirrel, I do want to know how he and the strip have evolved over time.
There was a brief moment in time late last year when Frank debated the ending of the strip. It was the 10th anniversary, and after a while all creators (except maybe George Lucas) look back on their creations and wonder if they should go on or come to a natural close. He kept all of us fans on the edge of our seats for a couple of months wondering what the decision was going to be. Did we get to continue with the adventures of the World’s Most Sarcastic Squirrel or would we say goodbye? Fortunately, 2012 started with the good news that we would get to see Bob evolve yet some more.
Now, Frank Page is like the majority of artists I know (this includes writers) in coming up with creative ways to keep the creative endeavors going. Besides the books (I totally love the title, It Doesn’t Matter, You’re Not Going to Buy This Book Anyway) Frank has Bob’s SquirrelMart on Cafepress, and he does commissions and sells one-offs. Like the originals of one panel cartoons of Bob dressed up like your favorite superhero. He also has a “Pay What You Can” offer for original strips.
Yes, part of what I love about Bob the Squirrel and Frank Page is the geek/pop culture factor. It makes me giggle. I think if you give Bob (and Frank) half a chance, they’ll make you giggle, too. And I know you can’t eat praise, or pay rent with it, but as G.I. Joe says, knowing is half the battle.
And if a daily strip isn’t enough…Bob is also active on Facebook and Twitter.
[Writer Post] The Whedon Effect
The Whedon Effect (not to be confused with Wheaton’s Law) is seriously turning into a “Thing”. I know it didn’t start with Joss Whedon, but he’s the creator who’s perfected this… this “stop it or I’ll have to beat you with your box office receipts” thing.
What I am now calling “The Whedon Effect” affects those lovable characters (mostly sidekicks, but also lovable, comic relief senior/major characters). He takes these characters who provide heart, soul, and a lot of laughs…gets us completely invested in their lives…then KILLS THEM (or at least maims them mightly).
Like I said, this isn’t NEW to Joss Whedon. This has happened in SF fandoms and franchises (books, movies, and television) since the dawn of time. I’m attributing it to Joss Whedon because he’s launched it into an art form. For Whedon started with Doyle in Angel, but most of us associate it more with Tara in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (and honestly, I stopped watching the show originally when Xander lost his eye), but it never stopped there. I know I nearly lost it when he killed Wash in Serenity. Penny (for a main character) in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog. But the kicker was (and yes, spoiler alert…) COLSON. Dude, Agent Colson survived TWO IronMan movies, Thor, Captain America (off screen but he was there), only to not make it through Avengers. SERIOUSLY?
Now don’t get me wrong, each character’s death is a pivotal impetus to move the plot, unite the team, push a main character to greater heights (or depths), and it wouldn’t be nearly as driving as it is if we didn’t CARE about these characters who are about to die. But come on… Colson? I loved Colson (and if I were Cobie Smulders, I’d be worried about that sequel they just announced…just sayin’.)
I know this isn’t a new thing. Nothing is ever NEW…but man that’s an emotional ringer. And this is just ONE MAN’s creations. I have this minor plot bunny going through my head of a “Dead Lovable Character Heaven” where DeForest Kelly and James Doohan (as Bones and Scotty) look down on all these other characters, laughing, because they were allowed to die of natural causes after a ripe old age. There aren’t that many franchises that can say that…and from what I understand of Game of Thrones NO ONE is safe there.
But why does that make this an “effect” a “Thing”? Because creators like Joss Whedon can make characters who are not in the main hierarchy with enough heart, soul, and dimension to care whether they live or die or are in significant long-term pain. And of them all, I think Whedon does it the best (or worst–depending on your feelings at the time).
So, if you’re a writer, artist, or creator of any type, be careful employing this device. It’s one thing to kill a “darling”, it’s a much bigger challenge to do it well and with enough reason. This is a lesson I also have to learn from the master…Joss Whedon.
[Pen/Pencil Post] The Pentel Hybrid Technica 0.3 mm in Black
This week, I’m reviewing the Pentel Hybrid Technica 0.3mm gel ink pen in black. I found this pen at both Hobby Lobby and Asel Art Supply. I’ll probably buy more of these pens at Asel Art Supply because they ran a little bit cheaper because they were “loose” and not in Pentel packaging. They’re also available (along with refills) at JetPens.com and the pen averages about $2.00.
Technically it’s designed as an “art” pen, but I actually like the way it handles as a writing pen. There is a bit of smearing in the ink if you smudge it right away. It does take a moment – a couple of seconds – to fully dry. The line is smooth and mostly consistent – it’s tough not to skip SOME at the 0.3mm level. The line is just that fine, but the ink is dark and easy to read.
And for a needle point gel pen, the mechanics are solid. Pentel says it’s tungsten carbide, and I’ll go with that. I wouldn’t know stainless steel from tungsten just by looking, but I know the point feels solid. I have no indication that I’m going to bend or break the tip of this pen but pushing hard.
The Pentel ink in the Hybrid Technica is acid free and archival safe – though I’d probably use a bolder tip if I were to use this for something like scrapbooking, unless you’re needing to insert comments into a tiny space.
It’s a comfortable pen. It has a soft rubber grip and is ~6 inches long with the cap posted, and just over 5 inches long capped. It fits well into my hand, and I’ve been using it pretty much exclusively for the last two days without excessive writer’s cramp or fatigue. It’s a good solid pen for long-term use.
Now to the numbers:
1. How does it work? – 0.5 This pen works well. The ink flows well and it’s comfortable. HOWEVER, there is a drying time issue.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – The pen is light but well-balanced. It has a good rubber grip that’s comfortable for long use.
3. Material – 0.5 This is an inexpensive gel pen that has the ability to be refilled. It’s a good workhorse pen.
4. Overall Design – 1 -Again, a good work horse pen. It’s solidly built, but not “utilitarian”.
5. Price Point – 1 – At about $2.00 a pop with the ability to be refilled? I call this an excellent value. For this price, I’m actually about to go buy the other point sizes to see which I like best.
I give it 4 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Spotlight Post] Angela Fann’s Psychokitty Hair Accessories
What I love about deciding to do these Friday Spotlight posts is that gives me license to be completely random! This week’s spotlight is on Angela Fann and her Psychokitty Hair Accessories business. If you only attended ConJour’s panels or were at ConDFW, you have seen me (and my Redheads of the Apocalypse persona, Zoe) sporting fun new hair accessories. These were all made by (and bought from) Angela’s strategically placed dealer’s room table at ConJour.
Angela does make and sell some of the coolest Goth inspired hair accessories: barrettes, headbands, teacup hats, etc. She is located in Houston and sells via conventions, fairs, and even biker rallies. So you know her stuff is FUN. She also now has an Etsy Store – Pshycokitty Barrettes.
I could’ve spent SO MUCH money at her table at ConJour (especially since it was right across the aisle from me), but I had to limit myself. If I’d had unlimited funds, I would not be the only Apocalyptic Redhead to be sporting Angela’s accessories. She has stuff that would fit each Redhead’s character – in both theme and colors. She flirts with this very strange line between Goth Girl and Sorority Girl (which you wouldn’t think would be parallel, but could be…)
What I like about her stuff is that it’s not overly “girly” and yet, it is. Those of you who know me know ‘m not a “Fouffy” girl (yeah, that’s a new word combo of “frou-frou” and-I guess-”Fluffy”?), so I am not really into the bling, but this stuff did bring out the “girly” girl hidden in all of us.
Her pricing is actually quite affordable for handcrafted hair accessories. Seriously, I would’ve bought more if I could’ve. And if I see her more, Zoe will be getting some new bling on a regular basis-to go with her ever changing wardrobe. So, if you ever wanted to copy Zoe’s look (which is both cool and weird to think about), go check out Angela’s wares. The Etsy Store doesn’t have a whole lot on it just yet, but the Psychokitty Facebook page has pictures. And I believe she’ll be at Houston’s Comicpalooza at the end of the month.
[Writer Post] Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
This month will be a challenge for me. I won’t be anywhere near my “comfort zone” for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week – and it started with a less scary version of stepping out last weekend.
Comfort Zone “Yikes” is the temporary “responsible adult” job I ended up starting on Monday. It’s a month long assignment where I spend a good chunk of my day calling strangers on the telephone. It’s a recruiting gig, but so not me. I am not a phone person. I have no idea what may have happened to me as a kid to traumatize me so, but, yeah. HOWEVER, I need the job and the money, so I’m putting on my brave face, and being a pro and doing it–this aspect of the job was kinda “sprung” on me when I got here.
Lys Wiley-Childs, Me, and our Table
I much rather deal with comfort zone stepping out I did over the weekend. Lys Childs-Wiley and I took Yard Dog Press to Scarborough Renaissance Festival. This was a new and “non-traditional” venue for Yard Dog’s brand of strange SF, but it was worth the risk. We both have relationships with the cast and crew out there, so the front office was less inclined to come up with an outright “NO”.
The Romany Crew - and part of the reason Ivan the Bubba is the way it is. 8-)
DISCLAIMER: Experiences with books signings WILL VARY–regardless of “traditional” or “non-traditional” venues. What works for one person, may not for another – and really, experiences can differ from event to another at the SAME venue.
LOVE this 10th Doctor. Made me want to Cosplay Donna Noble. I can pull her off.
Moving on, this ended up being a good event for us. Not only were the people receptive (and there were hundreds of people to talk to), but for creative types like me, I came away with three very different plot bunnies, the desire to finish a partially completed story (because I was able to see the cast member I named characters after. So it was productive as well as profitable. We sold books. We talked to people. We played with highly creative individuals.
One of my favorite players -- ONE... that happened to get a picture of. I must finish that story.
Now an event like this is not for the “faint of heart”. We spent 2 days outside in heat, humidity, and dust in pseudo-period costuming–with a “day” being before 10 am (set up and parking issues) and not ending until 7 pm. That’s a big investment to some–many. It’s much like doing a table at a convention, but with weather and with patrons with greater access to alcohol.
Scarborough has the BEST Royalty. We loved hanging with the Royals, even though I claim the Scottish court as my own.
I would do this again in a heartbeat given the chance because readers are readers no matter where you find them–and many time YOU have to find THEM. They don’t always just magically appear–and not everyone who reads SF goes to conventions (I didn’t discover them until adulthood), and more than SF fans go to Renaissance Festivals (but they’re open to it). Nor am I saying all SF authors should hit the Ren Faire circuit, it’s not for everyone–and there are rules to abide. My point is to not discount an opportunity because it’s outside your comfort zone. That step out may open even more doors.
[Pen/Pencil Review] The Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.4mm in Pink Ink
A couple of weeks ago, JetPens.com did a random “We’re giving away samples to bloggers” deal. They were very specific that this was a bunch of samples they were just going to send out willy-nilly to bloggers who emailed in, so…and this is a nearly direct quote, “A guy could get a sparkly pink pen.”
I took that as a challenge and wrote in that I wanted in on the “Sparkly Pink Pen Roulette”. I meant it as a joke, but JetPens was quick to reiterate that the shipment of pens was completely random. Okay. Then I had a HUGE laugh when what came in the mail was a Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.4mm PINK ROLLERBALL PEN! This is funny because those of you who know me know that I’m the LEAST PINK person on the planet.
It’s also a chance to revisit this pen again. I’ve wrote about the Hi-Tec-C before in other points and colors. But this is my first PINK one – and honestly, I can’t tell you if this is STRAWBERRY Pink, CHERRY Pink or any of the other three SHADES of PINK the Hi-Tec-C comes in. To my eye, it’s just pink. I really do like the Pilot Hi-Tec-C line – in any color because they do points like 0.4mm (and smaller). It runs almost 6.25″ with the cap posted, and 5.5″ capped. This pen has been comfortable in my had in other incarnations and remains so now.
As for the pen being pink, Pilot has some rich ink colors. This pink is a darker pink, toward the purple end of the spectrum, so it shows up well. The Hi-Tec-C needle points and rollerballs have little to no skipping or bleeding. For a pink pen, it’s really nice.
Now to the numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 This pen works well. The ink flows well and it’s comfortable.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – The grip is actually textured into the plastic. It’s ribbed. For the kind of pen it is, it’s okay.
3. Material – 0.5 This is an inexpensive, plastic pen. It is what it is. It’s a serviceable specialty color gel ink.
4. Overall Design – 1 -It’s a good pen for everyday use. It’s a go-to pen. Pilot makes a good pen
5. Price Point – 0.5 – For a possibly disposable pen (though it does have refills) and the fact that you can only order it from JetPens, it’s not the least expensive pen on the market. It’s $3.30 a piece. So that might be a detractor.
I give it a 3.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Spotlight Post] Scarborough Renaissance Festival
This week’s spotlight is on a much bigger scale than the last two, and for a totally self-serving reason–I will be doing a book signing here this weekend (April 28-29). This week, I tell you about Scarborough Renaissance Festival.
There are probably nearly as many negative stereotypes and clichés about Renaissance Festivals as there are about Science Fiction Conventions. They’re all as wrong. I’ve been a vendor and a patron at Scarborough Renaissance Festival for about seven years now, and the cast, crew, and vendors are some of the hardest working, most dedicated, and talented people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.
Little known facts about festivals like Scarborough–most of these people have “Day Jobs” since this festival runs only 8 WEEKENDS out of the year. Some performers take their show on the road and do their act at festivals all over the country, but many of the actors–the courts, the lane players, etc. They work 40 hours a week being “mundane” then 12-14 hours a day during the weekend in period clothing in climates not designed for said clothing (North Texas in April and May is SO NOT England or Scotland).
And that’s just the eight weeks the public sees. What they don’t see are the two months of workshops, acting classes, dialect classes, costuming classes that the cast members participate in (AFTER auditions more many) leading UP to the first weekend’s “Opening Canon”. They take their roles incredibly seriously. These are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met in sometimes very difficult situations. They know these characters intimately: current story, back story, history, family, political alliances, all of it more than any acting experience I’ve ever seen because they have to play it for so long. This is a skill I could use more of in my writing…this level of character development.
In fact, I have learned a lot from them about improvisation for the Yard Dog Press Road Shows. These guys have to think on their feet all the time, staying in accent, in character, and professionally no matter what happens: rain, heat, snow, drunkards (this more than anything else). If you want to see MAD SKILLZ (yeah, I know, I can’t pull it off), come to a festival…and prepare to be amazed. I know I am. These people inspire me in ways I haven’t even BEGUN to completely harness.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival is more than food, beer, and some shows. It’s actually a family and a small town in its own right. There are tons of people working in front and behind the scenes to make sure the patrons have a grand ole time in Ye Ole Shire. Come for the fun, leave with a respect for the work they put into your fun and games.
[Writer Post] Topsy-Turvy Writing World
It’s Wednesday, and the writing world is both the same and different. There is definitely a Good News/Bad News balance trying to work itself out, but in odd ways.
Personal news: Though I had a fiction piece rejected this week, I’m very pleased to announce that I have a NON-FICTION essay/article accepted for publication in PEN WORLD magazine. This is a “holy grail” kind of publication for me, and I’m very excited by this. I will post more details closer to publication.
We lost KD Wentworth last week. She was a talented writer and a lovely person. Most of us didn’t even know she was ill, so her passing was a shock to most of us in the SF Community. She was part of the Writers of the Future program, and the reason I continued to submit long after I realized no matter what wrote would never get past “Quarter Finals” or “Honorable Mention”. Her loss will be felt deeply in the community.
We also lost Denny Riordan – though not a writer himself, he was vital to the SF Community. He was Lee Killough’s husband, reader, fan, and all around good guy. His illness struck suddenly and without mercy. We share a little in Lee’s grief for this loss because he was a sweet man with a wicked sense of humor – and writers need their support system, and he was that, too.
The tectonic plates of publishing continue to shift and grind. Amazon is being both praised and buried for their part of the DOJ case against Apple and the Big Traditional Publishers. As much as I would love to boycott their predatory practices, I cannot afford to do so. None of us can. They are still a major player in this game and a significant (possible) source of income. We can only watch and see how the case plays out. That Apple and some of the publishers are choosing to fight in court rather than settle gives me a glimmer of hope.
HOWEVER…there is a possible light of positive change in publishing. TOR/FORGE (part of Macmillan) announced yesterday that they are dropping their DRM (Digital Rights Management) from all their e-books as of July. This is HUGE. HUGE. And it’s a bold and brilliant move that I hope other publishers will pick up. This could allow for all kinds of new avenues for publishers, authors, and retailers to compete on a more even economic playing field. John Scalzi, Charlie Stross, and Tobias Buckell all have much more detailed and technically more intelligent blogs on this topic. I suggest you read them for WHY this makes me so very happy. I really hope the other publishing houses take note and move in the same direction. NO ONE wants to HAVE to use a single device and/or rebuy their books/movies/music if they don’t have to. Removing DRM is just a smart move.
Here’s hoping the next week will have a more even keel. It’s hard to focus on getting words on a page when everything is topsy-turvy, but that’s what we have to do.
